Orthopaedia
Heel Pad Sign 		Log In   View a printable version of the current page.
  Dashboard > Orthopaedia > ... > Signs in Musculoskeletal Radiology > Heel Pad Sign


Added by Christian Veillette , last edited by Christian Veillette on Sep 06, 2008  (view change)
Labels: 
(None)

Location Foot
Diagnosis Acromegaly
Discussion Single lateral radiograph of the foot with a grossly enlarged and thickened calcaneal heel pad. Although not pathognomonic, a heel pad thickness greater than 23 mm may indicate acromegaly. The overabundance of growth hormone in acromegaly causes, among other things, gradual enlargement of hands, feet, and exaggeration of facial features. Not limited to the bones, however, enlargement of other parts of the body, such as the soft tissues of the heel may help to diagnose acromegaly.
Reference MacSweeney JE, Baxter MA, Joplin GF: Heel pad thickness is an internal index of biochemical remission in acromegaly Clin Radiol 1990; Nov 42(5); 348-350.
Figures

Click thumbnail for larger image
(view as slideshow)
   
 
 
CORR Articles
Refresh Sun Oct 12 12:19:16 PDT 2008
Thigh Pain of 5 Years’ Duration in a 48-year-old Man
Springerlink Resources
Refresh Sun Oct 12 12:19:16 PDT 2008
Your Rating: Results: PatheticBadOKGoodOutstanding! 0 rates

The following individuals have contributed to this page:
UserEditsCommentsLabelsLabel ListLast Update
Christian Veillette 30036 days ago

Orthopaedia - Collaborative Orthopaedic Knowledgebase | About Orthopaedia | Contact Orthopaedia
Copyright Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.