Skeletal abnormalities of hands and feet in Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl (LMBB) syndrome: a radiographic study.

OBJECTIVE

To identify radiological changes of the hands and feet in a large group of patients with Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome.

DESIGN

Postero-anterior views of hands and feet were obtained and analysed.

PATIENTS

The material consists of 43 Scandinavian patients with the syndrome (24 males and 19 females; age 3 weeks to 57 years, median 23 years at the time of radiological examination).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Polydactyly of the hands and feet is one of the main criteria. This was noted clinically in 33 of 43 patients, but all but 3 had been operated on before this radiological study. Remnants of the extirpated finger or toe noted as exostoses, additional joint surfaces of duplication were found in half the hands and feet, while the remainder showed no radiological changes. Other features found were short, broad bones and flat joint surfaces of the metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joints. We also found a high frequency of short or long ulna in relation to the radius and Madelung deformity of the wrist in several patients. Thus, the radiographs showed several non-specific normal variations besides remnants or postoperative changes after polydactyly.