Ribbing disease (multiple diaphyseal sclerosis): a case report and literature review

Ribbing disease is a rare condition of diaphyseal sclerosis first described by Ribbing [1], characterized by benign endosteal and periosteal bone growth confined to the diaphyses of the long bones in young adults, usually limited to the lower extremities asymmetrically [2-4]. Patients with Ribbing disease, usually after puberty, typically present with pain in one tibia or one femur, but the disease often sequentially involves both tibiae and femora [5]. The level of pain is variable and may be progressive. It is often initially misdiagnosed as chronic sclerosing osteomyelitis for lack of knowledge of this infrequent disease, but it may also be confused with Camurati-Engelmann dysplasia [6] for similar sclerosing bone dysplasia.