Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH) Clinical Presentation

Updated: Jul 11, 2016
  • Author: Bruce M Rothschild, MD; Chief Editor: Jeffrey D Thomson, MD  more...
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Presentation

History

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is often an asymptomatic phenomenon that is discovered incidentally on imaging studies taken for some other reason. Reported manifestations, which may result from neuropathy or from physical impingement by bony overgrowth, have included the following1:

  • Polyarticular pain
  • Neck/thoracic/lumbar/extremity pain
  • Acute monoarticular synovitis
  • Limited range of spinal motion
  • Dysphagia
  • Increased susceptibility to unstable spinal fractures
  • Airway obstruction of varying degrees
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Physical

If vertebral fusion is quite extensive, reduction in range of spinal motion occurs. [22] Because uniform vertebral involvement is extremely rare, no relatable findings exist.

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Causes

Causes are unknown. Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is simply a tendency toward calcification of entheses.

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