Pathology · single question

What radiographic pattern is classically associated with sickle cell anemia involving the jaws/skull?

  1. Stepladder trabecular pattern
  2. Punched-out lesions
  3. Ground-glass appearance
  4. Cotton-wool appearance
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Correct answer: A. Stepladder trabecular pattern

Sickle cell disease causes chronic vaso-occlusive bone marrow infarcts with compensatory marrow hyperplasia, producing a coarse 'stepladder' trabecular pattern in the jaws and a 'hair-on-end' appearance in the skull. Punched-out lesions are classic for multiple myeloma, ground-glass appearance for fibrous dysplasia, and cotton-wool appearance for Paget's disease of bone.

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