ADEX Dental Hygiene Licensing Exam 2026 – Complete All-In-One Guide to Succeed

Recklinghausen's disease, also known as von Recklinghausen disease, specifically refers to a genetic disorder that affects the nervous system through the presence of neurofibromas and skin lesions, not cystic bone lesions. However, what you are likely referring to is the association of bone lesions with hyperparathyroidism.

Hyperparathyroidism leads to an overproduction of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which in turn causes resorption of bone and can result in the formation of cystic bone lesions known as brown tumors. These lesions are not true cysts but rather are osteitis fibrosa cystica, resulting from the excessive calcium mobilization and subsequent abnormalities in bone structure.

Unlike the conditions of hypothyroidism, osteoporosis, and Paget's disease, hyperparathyroidism has a direct connection to the changes in bone density and structure due to PTH's role in calcium metabolism. Osteoporosis is primarily characterized by a decrease in bone mass without cystic lesions, while Paget's disease involves abnormal bone remodeling, but presents with a different type of bone deformity and enlargement rather than cystic changes.