Description
These are from lumbar vertebrae, and show pink, fleshy deposits in the bone. Two vertebrae
collapsed, and appear to be composed almost entirely of tumour tissue. The discs are intact.
History
This man presented with compression fractures of his lumbar vertebrae which, on
investigation, were shown to be due to myelomatosis. He was readmitted three months later
because of chest pain and was found, among other things, to have hypercalcaemia. He died some
ten days after admission and, at autopsy, the parathyroid glands were noted to be enlarged.
Extensive metastatic calcification was noted in the kidneys, heart, stomach and lungs, and
myelamatous deposits were found in bone.