Abstract

PURPOSE:

To find out the skeletal radiologic appearances of high aluminum fluorosis caused by burning coal as domestic fuel.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Thirty-nine cases of high aluminum fluorosis caused by eating corns baked by coal and china clay were studied. The authors also investigated the environmental conditions, clinical appearances and other laboratory test of the patients.

RESULTS:

The skeletal radiographic appearances were very complicated. The main change was osteomalacia. Osteoporosis, osteosclerosis and dysplastic bone were also found. The radiographic appearances of osteomalacia included: decrease of bone density, haziness of bone structure, Looser?s zone, lucent zone of the pelvic margins, dense-lucent-dense zone in the metaphysis of long bone, osteoporosis zone under the epiphysis, signs of ricket disease, pelvic malformation acetabular invagination and curved tibia and fibula. Bone transformation manifestation was also a prominent feature.

CONCLUSION:

We suggest that high aluminum fluorosis is a special type of fluorosis presenting as osteomalacia. Our results provide evidences to establish criteria for classification of fluorosis.