Unusual bone lesions with osteonecrosis mimicking bone metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa

Abstract

Some bone lesions are reported to mimic bone metastasis on imaging tests. Herein, we report a case of a 55-year-old Japanese man who presented with a skin tumour on the left lower extremity. He also had a history of recurrent generalized cutaneous blister and erosion formation since childhood. His skin lesions were diagnosed as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma complicated by recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left lower extremity detected multiple focal bone lesions mimicking bone metastases in the left femur and tibia. However, bone biopsy revealed that the bone lesions were osteonecrosis without tumour cells. We suggest that cancer-induced osteonecrosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of bone lesions suspected of being metastases on magnetic resonance imaging.