Osteonekrosis of the head of the humerus is a possible complication of various pathological states, or it occurs without any obvious evoking cause.
 | a fracture of the anatomical cervix of the head of the humerus : a cause is an abrupt of a haematic supply |
| a
steroid therapy : necrosis also originates
after a short time of administering. But symptoms do not have to be there
for a longer time. The origin of osteonekrosis does not depend on the
steroid dose – meanwhile, etiology is not clear. |
| a complication of basic diseases : SLE, haemoglobinopathy, pancreatitis |
We are not able to diagnose osteonekrosis at the beginning of the affection because symptoms of this affection are delayed, they are felt for the first time when there is a collapse of the affected bone. But in the time before the development of patient's problems, scintigraphy or MRI10 are able to detect the changes. The X-ray picture is a contribution in the time of developed necrosis and its repair.
10MRI is more specific and more sensitive