Vanishing bone disease: An enigma.

Vanishing bone disease is a rare clinical entity with unknown etiology. This disease affects individual irrespective of age or sex. Various names have been used in the literature to describe this condition such as Gorham's disease, phantom bone disease, massive osteolysis, disappearing bone disease and acute spontaneous absorption of bone.

Gorham's disease: A diagnostic challenge.

Gorham's disease is a rare disorder of uncertain etiology characterized by spontaneous and progressive osteolysis of one or more skeletal bones. Till date, less than 200 cases have been reported in the international literature with about 51 cases involving the maxillofacial site. The radiographic findings associated with Gorham's disease are particularly dramatic, as in some cases a complete resorption of the involved bone can occur, leading to the definition of phantom bone or disappearing bone disease.