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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTo determine whether you have diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, your doctor may begin with a physical examination. He or she will press lightly on your spine and joints to feel for abnormalities. Any pain you experience from the pressure on your spine may be a clue to the diagnosis. Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis may cause pain at the point where the affected tendon or ligament attaches to a bone. Your doctor may be able to detect bone spurs.
In order to confirm diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, your doctor will order X-rays, which may show calcification along the bones that make up your spine (vertebrae). The calcification has a distinct appearance that doctors sometimes refer to as cascading or flowing. Some compare the appearance to that of candle wax dripping and oozing down your spine.
Other types of imaging, such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may be helpful in diagnosing diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. These tests can also rule out conditions that may cause similar signs and symptoms, such as ankylosing spondylitis.
