Jansen's metaphyseal chondrodysplasia (JMC) is a very rare autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia characterized by short-limbed short stature (due to severe metaphyseal changes that are often discovered in childhood by imaging), waddling gait, bowed legs, contracture deformities of the joints, short hands with clubbed fingers, clinodactyly, prominent upper face and small mandible, as well as chronic parathyroid hormone-independent hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, and mild hypophosphatemia.

Here we share radiographic images to help with diagnosis of Jansen’s disease:

Jansen’s patients show extreme disorganization of the metaphyses of the long bones and of the metacarpal and metatarsal bones is in sharp contrast to the almost normal appearance of the epiphyseal centers, which on x-ray appear widely separated from the long bones. The chin is receding. The fingers, especially the distal phalanges, are very short. The spine, pelvis, and lower legs are distorted.

Jansen’s patients present at birth with prominent eyes, choanal stenosis, wide cranial sutures, highly arched palate, micrognathia, rib fractures, and irregularities of the metaphyses of the long bones resembling rickets. At the age of 2-3, patients show stunted growth, waddling gait, enlarged joints, prominent supraorbital ridges, and frontonasal hyperplasia.

A full list of Signs and Symptoms are as follows:

Autosomal dominant inheritance

Bowing of the long bones

Brachycephaly

Choanal atresia

Choanal stenosis  

Clinodactyly of the 5th finger  

Clubbing of fingers

Elevated alkaline phosphatase  

Hearing impairment

Hip contracture

Hypercalcemia

Hypercalciuria

Hyperphosphaturia

Hypertelorism

Hypoparathyroidism

Hypophosphatemia

Knee flexion contracture

Metaphyseal chondrodysplasia

Metaphyseal cupping

Micrognathia

Misalignment of teeth  

Nephrocalcinosis

Osteopenia  

Pathologic fracture  

Prominent supraorbital arches in adult  

Proptosis

Severe short stature  

Short long bone

Short ribs

Thick skull base  

Waddling gait