Bone lesions in chronic myelogenous leukaemia.

The incidence and site of bone lesions in 33 patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia were studied by performing bone scintigraphy and radiography. The scintigrams were abnormal in 67% and the radiographs in 29%. Increased juxta-articular uptake of radiographs was observed particularly in acute phase patients, whereas areas of focal uptake were detected in many chronic phase patients. Nearly all patients suffered from bone pains before the development of demonstrable osseous lesions. Hypercalcaemia was found in one patient with blastic transformation and bone lysis. Two patients with extensive bone destruction were treated with vincristine, prednisone and local irradiation in spite of haematological remission. No haematological relapse has occurred in these two patients during follow-up for 12 and 41 months, respectively.