Rickets
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rickets radiograph bowing legs skeletal deformity
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Rickets is a disorder of defective mineralization of growing bone and growth plate cartilage in children, most commonly from vitamin D deficiency.
Key points
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Main causes
- Nutritional vitamin D deficiency (most common globally)
- Low calcium intake
- Malabsorption, liver/kidney disease
- Genetic forms (vitamin D dependent/resistant, hypophosphatemic rickets)
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Typical features
- Bone pain, delayed growth, delayed motor milestones
- Bowed legs or knock-knees, widened wrists/ankles
- Frontal bossing, rachitic rosary
- Severe cases: hypocalcemic seizures, tetany
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Diagnosis
- Labs: calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, PTH, 25-OH vitamin D
- X-ray (wrist/knee): metaphyseal cupping, fraying, widening, osteopenia
- One retrieved radiograph description showed classic bilateral lower limb bowing with metaphyseal cupping/fraying and osteopenia (Hugging Face PMC clinical VQA raw, p.0).
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Treatment
- Vitamin D replacement (dose based on age/severity/local protocol)
- Adequate calcium intake
- Treat underlying cause (renal, GI, genetic, phosphate wasting)
- Follow-up labs and radiographic healing monitoring
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Prognosis
- Usually excellent if treated early
- Delayed treatment can lead to persistent deformities and growth issues
If you want, I can give you a practical diagnosis and treatment algorithm (including typical pediatric dosing ranges and follow-up timeline).
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