| Download the amazing global Makindo app: Android | Apple | |
|---|---|
| MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Educational use only. Not for diagnosis or management. See below for full disclaimer. |
Bone disease Lab results
Related Subjects: | Osteoporosis | Calcium & Bone Metabolism
Note: Reference sources may vary 📚. Biochemical patterns depend on severity and chronicity of disease, but the table below shows the classic exam-friendly profiles ✅.
🧪 Bone Disease — Key Laboratory Assessments
Think about the big four markers: Calcium, Phosphate, ALP, and PTH. Vitamin D status helps tie the picture together. 👉 Tip: In exams, look for a signature pattern rather than memorising numbers.
| 🦴 Bone disease | Ca²⁺ | PO₄³⁻ | ALP | PTH | Vit D | 📝 Key Clues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osteoporosis | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Structural weakness, not biochemical 🦴.
Diagnosis via DEXA scan. |
| Osteomalacia / Rickets | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ / N | ↓ | Soft bones → fractures, Looser’s zones 📉. |
| Paget’s Disease | N | N | ⏫ Markedly ↑ | N | N | Isolated very high ALP 🔑. May have bone pain & deformity. |
| Myeloma | ↑ | N / ↑ | N (↑ if fracture) | N | N | Think CRAB 🦀: ↑Ca, Renal failure, Anaemia, Bone pain. |
| Bone Metastases | ↑ | N / ↑ | ↑ | N | N | Lytic = low ALP, Sclerotic = high ALP.
Prostate → sclerotic ⚙️. |
| Primary Hyperparathyroidism | ↑ | ↓ / N | N / ↑ | ↑ | N | “Stones, bones, groans, moans” 🪨🦴🤯. |
| Secondary Hyperparathyroidism | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | Usually CKD or Vit D deficiency. Compensatory high PTH ♻️. |
| Hypoparathyroidism | ↓ | ↑ | N | ↓ | N | Post-thyroidectomy ⚠️. Watch for tetany, Chvostek & Trousseau signs. |
| Renal Osteodystrophy | ↓ / N | ↑ | N / ↑ | ↑ | N / ↓ | Part of CKD-MBD 🧩 (mineral bone disorder). |
| Vitamin D Deficiency | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | Classic cause of rickets/osteomalacia ☀️. |
| Vitamin D Resistance (Rickets) | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ | N | e.g. X-linked hypophosphataemic rickets 🧬. |
🧠 Teaching Commentary
- Osteoporosis: structurally weak bone, biochemistry normal. - Osteomalacia: low Vit D → soft bone, high ALP. - Paget’s: ALP very high in isolation. - Myeloma/Metastases: hypercalcaemia clues, look for CRAB 🦀. - Parathyroid disorders: follow Ca–PO₄ balance (inverse). - Renal failure: phosphate retention, Vit D low, secondary hyperPTH. 👉 In exams: spotting the pattern in labs is the fastest route to the answer.
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
|
|
Categories
- A Level
- About
- Acute Medicine
- Anaesthetics and Critical Care
- Anatomy
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Book
- Cardiology
- Collections
- CompSci
- Crib Sheets
- Crib sheets
- Dental
- Dermatology
- Differentials
- Drugs
- ENT
- Education
- Electrocardiogram
- Embryology
- Emergency Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Ethics
- Foundation Doctors
- GCSE
- Gastroenterology
- General Practice
- Genetics
- Geriatric Medicine
- Guidelines
- Gynaecology
- Haematology
- Hepatology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Infographic
- Investigations
- Lists
- Mandatory Training
- Medical Students
- Microbiology
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Nutrition
- OSCE
- OSCEs
- Obstetrics
- Obstetrics Gynaecology
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Oral Medicine and Dentistry
- Orthopaedics
- Paediatrics
- Palliative
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Procedures
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Radiology
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Resuscitation
- Revision
- Rheumatology
- Statistics and Research
- Stroke
- Surgery
- Toxicology
- Trauma and Orthopaedics
- USMLE
- Urology
- Vascular Surgery