Osteomalacia
Osteomalacia is characterised by loss of skeletal mass as a consequence of inadequate mineralisation of the organic bone matrix or osteoid.
It is the adult counterpart of rickets. The most common cause is a defect in vitamin D metabolism.
Osteomalacia may be difficult to discriminate clinically from other osteopenias - osteoporosis, osteitis fibrosa, and certain of the stages of Paget's disease; however, biochemically osteomalacia is the only osteopenia in which mineralisation is reduced.
Related pages
Create an account to add page annotations
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.