Diagnosis
Paget's disease may be diagnosed using one or more of the following tests:
- Pagetic bone has a characteristic appearance on X-rays. A skeletal survey is therefore indicated.
- An elevated level of alkaline phosphatase in the blood in combination with normal calcium, phosphate, and aminotransferase levels in an elderly patient are suggestive of Paget's disease.
- Markers of bone turnover in urine eg. Pyridinoline
- Elevated levels of serum and urinary hydroxyproline are also found.
- Bone scans are useful in determining the extent and activity of the condition. If a bone scan suggests Paget's disease, the affected bone(s) should be X-rayed to confirm the diagnosis.
|
Calcium | Phosphate | Alkaline phosphatase | Parathyroid hormone | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osteoporosis | unaffected | unaffected | variable | unaffected | decreased bone mass |
| Osteopetrosis | unaffected | unaffected | elevated | unaffected | thick dense bones also known as marble bone |
| Osteomalacia and rickets | decreased | decreased | variable | elevated | soft bones |
| Osteitis fibrosa cystica | elevated | decreased | elevated | elevated | brown tumors |
| Paget's disease of bone | unaffected | unaffected | variable (depending on stage of disease) | unaffected | abnormal bone architecture |
Read more about this topic: Paget's Disease Of Bone