Rapid progressive atypical atraumatic osteonecrosis of humeral head: a case report

Osteonecrosis of the humeral head is an uncommon and slow progressive condition. This condition is difficult to be recognized because its initial symptoms are nonspecific. Simple radiography is the standard tool to stage disease progression. However, plain radiographic findings of osteonecrosis are nearly normal in the initial stage. We report a case of 74 years old female patient who have suffered from painful limitation of the shoulder joint. She had no trauma history and no specific predisposing factors for osteonecrosis of the humeral head. To confirm, follow up radiography and shoulder magnetic resonance imaging were performed.