What is "osteosclerosis"

Osteosclerosis \Os`te*o*scle*ro"sis\, n. [NL.; osteo- + sclerosis.] Abnormal hardness and density of bone.

n. (context medicine English) An increase in bone density

n. abnormal hardening or eburnation of bone

Osteosclerosis is a type of osteopetrosis that involves abnormal hardening of bone and an elevation in bone density. It can be a pathology, normally detected on a radiograph as an area of increased opacity; that is, where more mineral is present in the bone to absorb or deflect the X-ray beam. Localized osteosclerosis can be caused by injuries that compress the bone, by osteoarthritis, and osteoma.

It is associated with:

• Prostate cancer metastasis
• Melorheostosis
• Osteopetrosis
• Osteopoikilosis
• Chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis
• Skeletal fluorosis
• Schnitzler syndrome
• Monoclonal IgM Kappa cryoglobulinemia

It can also be associated with Hepatitis C.

In the animal kingdom there also exists a non-pathological form of osteosclerosis, resulting in unusually solid bone structure with little to no marrow. It is often seen in aquatic vertebrates, especially those living in shallow waters, providing ballast as an adaptation for an aquatic lifestyle. It makes bones heavier, but also more fragile. In those animal groups osteosclerosis often occurs together with bone thickening ( pachyostosis). This joint occurrence is called pachyosteosclerosis.

of the bones of the thoracic spine due to prostate cancer metastases (CT image) of the bones of the thoracic spine due to prostate cancer metastases (CT image)