Dripping candle wax sign (melorheostosis)

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 25 Feb 2024

Dripping candle wax sign, also known as flowing candle wax appearance, describes the appearance of sclerotic cortical thickening in melorheostosis. The irregular cortical hyperostosis typically occurs on one side of the involved bone and undulates along much like melted wax down a candle.

Pathology

  • overproduction of bone matrix

  • increased angiogenesis

History and etymology

It was in 1922 that the French doctors André Léri and J Joanny published the first ever description of this distinctive disease for which they coined the name melorheostosis, hence occasionally also known as Leri-Joanny disease. It was also in this same article that they originated the evocative dripping candle wax (in French 'en coulée) to describe its appearance 3,4.

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