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SITE CODE COSE84
Palaeopathology
PBR
_____________________________________________________________________
Osteologist: R.N.R. Mikulski
Date: 31/05/2005
1355
_____________________________________________________________________
Context
Summary: COSE84 1355 appears to represent an adult male individual with
signs of probable systemic infection and severe osteoarthritis in both 1 st
metatarso-phalangeal joints, possibly resulting in hammer-toe deformity.
There are also other unusual changes in the vertebrae, which might suggest the
possibility of early-stage ankylosing spondylitis.
Cranial:
There is a small, round button osteoma to the ectocranial surface of the right parietal,
situated just superior to the mid-region of the right lambdoid suture.
Postcranial:
Hands: There is marked osteophytosis to the head of the right 1st metacarpal. There is
also some marked lipping along the medial shaft of the left 5th metacarpal.
Vertebrae: Almost all the vertebrae between T1 and L3 exhibit unusual compact
bone or bony nodules to the anterior wall of the vertebral bodies. The spinous process
of T6 also appears displaced towards the right side.
Ribs: There is at least one well-healed fracture to one unsided ribshaft fragment.
There is also severe osteophytosis to the tubercle facets in both sets of ribs, with
significant ossification of costal cartilage in several ribs present also.
Pelvis: There are possible slight new bone plaques to the ventral aspects of the ilioischial junction in both ossa coxae. There is also marked retro-auricular activity in
both ossa coxae, suggesting the possibility of early sacro-iliitis.
Tibiae: There are symmetrical new bone plaques evident to anterior aspects of both
tibial midshafts and medial & posterior aspects of both distal tibiae, with new bone
also to lateral anterior aspect of proximal right tibia.
Fibulae: There is symmetrical new bone to anterior aspects of midshafts and anterior
& posterior aspects of distal shafts of both fibulae.
Feet: There is also evidence of new bone plaque to superior aspects of both calcaneal
heels. Possible new bone also to ventral aspects of ilio-ischial junctions.
There is eburnation to the superior aspect of the head of the left 1st metatarsal, with
eburnation reflected in the base of the left 1st proximal foot phalanx. The base of the
right 1st proximal foot phalanx also exhibits similar eburnation, but the right 1st
metatarsal is missing. There is severe osteophytosis associated with these changes in
the margins of both 1st metatarso-phalangeal joints, with marked/severe osteophytosis
also present in the extant unsided sesamoid and other proximal feet phalanges.
Pathology Codes
congenital
infection
211
joints
311
33
trauma
4210
metabolic
endocrine
neoplastic
711
742
circulatory
other
1052
2
SITE CODE COSE84
Palaeopathology
PBR
_____________________________________________________________________
Osteologist: R.N.R. Mikulski
Date: 31/05/2005
1355
_____________________________________________________________________
Context
In addition several proximal feet phalanges exhibit unusual compact bone nodules to
the proximal and/or distal ends of the shafts. It’s possible these may simply be
enthesopathies, but they appear more like exostoses.
One proximal foot phalanx also exhibits at least two small but deep, lytic-looking
lesions penetrating the medial(?) margins of the head.
Additional Observations:
There is some enthesopathy development throughout the remains, particularly to the
lateral end of the left clavicle; the iliac crests and superior acetabular margins of the
ossa coxae; the greater trochanter and proximal linea aspera in both femora; the soleal
lines in both tibiae and the heels of both calcanei.
Discussion:
The bilateral, symmetrical nature of the new bone plaques observed in the lower
legs suggests some kind of systemic infection. It’s possible the changes in the feet
may be related to this possible infection.
The compact new bone to the anterior vertebrae is suspicious; given the marked
retro-auricular activity, it’s possible this individual may represent a case of
ankylosing spondylitis in its v. early stages. However, this is by no means certain,
especially with the complete lack of any actual fusion in the spine. The significant
amounts of ossified costal cartilage also point towards an older individual
making AS more unlikely, though it’s possible such ossification might have been
triggered by possible trauma to the chest as evidenced by the healed rib fracture.
Pathology Codes
congenital
infection
211
joints
311
33
trauma
4210
metabolic
endocrine
neoplastic
711
742
circulatory
other
1052