Resolution of "salt and pepper" appearance of the skull with vitamin D therapy

• Main Authors: Gursimran Kaur, Parminder Singh, Naveen Mittal, Mani Kant Singla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Subjects: Osteitis fibrosa cystica; salt and pepper appearance; secondary hyperparathyroidism; vitamin D deficiency
• Online Access: http://www.ijem.in/article.asp?issn=2230-8210;year=2013;volume=17;issue=7;spage=194;epage=197;aulast=Kaur
• ISSN: 2230-8210; 2230-9500

Chronic hypovitaminosis D leads to state of decreased mineralization and generalized osteomalacia. It also results in secondary hyperparathyroidism causing increased bone turn over and decreased bone mass, manifested radiologically as a "salt and pepper" appearance in skull, subperiosteal resorption, bone cysts and lytic lesions. In this case, a young male patient with hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism, radiological features show resolution of "salt and pepper" appearance of the skull with vitamin D in 11 months and regression of other lytic lesions.