Characteristic Appearance on Bone Scintigraphy of a ???Stone Man???

Abstract

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), also known as stone man is an extremely rare autosomal dominant disorder. Its incidence is reported to be approximately 1 in 2 million people. The disease is characterized by progressive replacement of fascia, tendons, muscles, and ligaments by bone, leading to encasement of the skeleton within a new extra skeleton. It usually appears in the first decade of life, more commonly in males. In the early stages, it may be associated with tender swellings in the muscles. There is no definitive therapy or effective prevention for this condition. We present a case of FOP with its characteristic bone scan appearances. Bone scan helps in the diagnosis of this rare disease, thus protecting the patient from unnecessary biopsies and confusion regarding its diagnosis.