System – Skeletal

What Is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by diminished bone mass (density) with normal cell appearance but fragile bone strength that prediposes to broken bones, and with high bone turnover. This condition usually goes undetected until late ...

Called osseous tissue. Bone is composed of specialized connective tissue (collagen) made up of living bone cells (osteocytes) that are embedded in a hard matrix (framework) of calcified substance. Bone matrix contains collagen fibers and the minerals calcium phosphate and ...

What Are Bone Fractures? Bone fractures, or broken bones, are breaks in skeletal bones that occur usually from trauma to the bone itself or by a sudden violent contraction of muscle attached to it. Q: Are there other causes of ...

What Is Rickets? Rickets is a disorder of cartilage cell growth and enlargement of epiphyseal growth plates in young children that is characterized by inadequate mineralization of developing cartilage and newly formed bone. The epiphyseal growth plate is located at the ends ...

What Is Enteropathic Arthritis? Enteropathic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by peripheral joint disease that also involves the attachments sites for tendons at joints, called entheses, and is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling and loss of motion. Q: ...

What Is Osteopenia In Childhood? Osteopenia is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by diminished bone mass with the retention of normal cell appearance and high bone turnover. That is, bone production does not keep up with bone loss. Bones looks ...

What Is Psoriatic Arthritis? Psoriatic arthritis is a joint manifestation of psoriasis, a systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by asymmetric involvement in one or more joints, especially affecting the distal phalangeal joints of fingers and toes (joints nearest nails). In some ...

What Is Osteonecrosis? Osteonecrosis is a bone disorder resulting from insufficient blood flow to a part of the skeleton and is characterized by resulting death of bone cells (necrosis). After a while the bone can collapse. If this condition is ...

What Is Osteomalacia? Osteomalacia is a metabolic bone disorder that causes abnormal skeletal changes characterized by generalized reduction in bone density (bone softening) in adults and pseudofractures (apparant on x-ray) with muscular weakness and bone tenderness. Bones have the normal amount of ...

What Is Osteitis Fibrosa Cystica? Osteitis fibrosa cystica is a metabolic bone disease characterized by decalcification and softening of bones with bone cyst formation and bone tumors developing from effects of chronic vitamin D deficiency causing hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid adenoma ...

What Is Bone Pain? Bone pain is pain or tenderness in bone tissue. Bone pain intensity and location depend on the causative disorder. Q: What are causative disorders of bone pain? A: Bone pain is a feature of various disorders ...