Osteopathies from Anarchic Tissue Development

Osteopathies of anarchic cartilage tissue development are characterized by the abnormal growth of skeletal cartilage tissue. None can be recognized on prenatal ultrasound because they develop in childhood or adolescence and are benign except for enchondromatosis which can have a malignant degeneration in 4% of cases. Osteopathies of anarchic fibrous tissue development are characterized by the replacement of trabecular or cortical bone tissue by fibrous tissue. In this group, the only dwarfism that can be suspected by prenatal ultrasound is osteoglyphic dwarfism characterized by micromelic dwarfism, prognathism, hypertelorism, and short neck. This must prompt a confirmatory genetic diagnosis.