The skull in renal osteodystrophy

: Skull X-rays of 60 patients with chronic renal failure were examined. Alterations included diminished or increased bone density, radiolucent areas, pepper pot skull and the disappearance of vascular grooves and sutures. It is suggested that the radiological aspect of the skull is of very little diagnostic use in the assessment of uremic osteopathy since specific alterations are rare and tardive and show no correlation with clinical and laboratory findings. Skull X-rays can be useful in assessing the effects of treatment (vitamin D derivatives, parathyroidectomy) and for the identification of focal lesions (brown tumors).