Idiopathic sporadic tumoral calcinosis of the hip: successful oral bisphosphonate therapy.

OBJECTIVE

To report the case of a woman with idiopathic sporadic tumoral calcinosis treated successfully with orally administered bisphosphonates.

METHODS

We report the clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings and describe the clinical course of tumoral calcinosis. The literature was reviewed for the pathophysiologic features and strategies for treatment of tumoral calcinosis. In addition, we specifically reviewed the use of bisphosphonates in tumoral calcinosis and the possible pharmacologic basis for the therapeutic benefit.

RESULTS

A 45-year-old woman presented with a 6-week history of left-sided pain in the hip in conjunction with stiffness after a trivial fall 4 weeks before the onset of symptoms. The findings on conventional radiology of the hip joint were consistent with tumoral calcinosis of the left hip. The biochemical profile of the patient was unremarkable. Oral treatment with alendronate, 70 mg once a week, yielded alleviation of symptoms within 12 weeks. Radiology of the left hip repeated after a period of 15 months revealed notable regression of the calcified lesion.

CONCLUSION

Bisphosphonate therapy may be considered as an alternative to surgical treatment in patients with idiopathic sporadic tumoral calcinosis.