Periostitis
Definition
Inflammation of the periosteum resulting in the deposition of new woven or lamellar bone on the outer cortical surface. Produced by infection, trauma, or metabolic disease. Active periostitis (woven, friable) indicates the individual died during the acute phase; healed periostitis (smooth, remodelled) indicates a chronic condition.
- Definition
- Periosteal inflammation with new bone deposition
- Active form appearance
- Woven, friable bone
- Active form meaning
- Death occurred during the acute phase
- Healed form appearance
- Smooth, remodelled bone
- Healed form meaning
- Indicates a chronic, resolving condition
Common questions
How does an examiner distinguish active from healed periostitis on a bone?+
Active periostitis has a porous, disorganised, woven-bone texture that flakes easily, while healed periostitis has been remodelled into smooth, compact lamellar bone that is firmly integrated with the underlying cortex.
Why does the Buikstra-Ubelaker inventory record periostitis systematically?+
Standardised recording of periosteal lesions across the skeleton lets researchers compare pathology load between individuals and populations, supporting both individual case interpretation and broader bioarchaeological or epidemiological study.
Can periostitis be confused with taphonomic surface damage?+
Yes, that confusion is exactly why the concept is grouped with pseudopathology in teaching material, since root etching, soil abrasion, or erosion can superficially mimic periosteal new bone if not examined carefully.
Related terms
- Behrensmeyer Weathering Stages
- A six-stage (0-5) macroscopic scale for characterising the degree of environmental weathering on bone, published by Anna Kay Behrensmeyer in Paleobiology (1978)....
- Buikstra-Ubelaker Standards
- The 'Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains' (1994, Arkansas Archaeological Survey Research Series 44), edited by Jane Buikstra and Douglas...
- Callus
- The new bone tissue formed at the site of a fracture during healing. Passes through stages of haematoma, fibrous callus (woven bone),...
- Eburnation
- The polished, ivory-like surface produced on bone when articular cartilage is completely lost in severe osteoarthritis and the opposing subchondral bone surfaces...
- Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI)
- The smallest number of distinct individuals required to account for all skeletal elements present in an assemblage. Determined by identifying the element...
- Pathology
- In skeletal osteology, a disease process or injury that occurred during the individual's lifetime and left a detectable trace on the skeleton...
- Plexiform Bone (Taphonomy Context)
- In the pseudopathology context, the presence of plexiform bone structure in a cortical cross-section is used to exclude human origin rather than...
- Pseudopathology
- Postmortem modification of bone by a specific agent (rodents, carnivores, plant roots, mechanical forces) that superficially resembles a disease process or antemortem...
- Taphonomy
- The systematic modification of bone by environmental processes after death, operating over the burial or exposure interval. Includes weathering, soil staining, sun...