Differential Diagnosis of an Unusual Tibial Pathology from Peru

During an osteological analysis of human skeletal remains from the site of Punta Lobos (Huarmey Valley, northern coastal Peru), an unusual erosive lesion of the cortex with periosteal reaction was observed on a right tibia. The authors undertook a review of paleopathological and medical literature to arrive at a differential diagnosis. The lesion is determined to be a non-malignant growth, possibly a large periosteal ganglion, though a diagnosis of periosteal chondroma (a benign neoplasm) or other uncommon neoplasm could not be definitively ruled out. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.