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What Causes Mild Bone Degeneration?

Posted on Wed, 11 Feb 2015

Question: I visited the doctor with pain under my left shoulder blade and itchiness in the same location. I also have shortness of breath and high blood pressure. He sent me for a back x-ray, which showed mild bone degeneration and a bone density test, which was normal. Blood labs came back and the tech said one type of gamma globulin was elevated, so they dr. wants to do more tests. She also asked if I'd been sick around the time of the blood test- I had a cold two weeks before the blood draw. All other labs were normal. Thoughts? I made the mistake of googling "increased gamma globulin in blood test" and everything was scary.

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (17 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Elevated gamma globulin ?myeloma

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
There is only suspicion of Multiple myeloma.
Bone pain is the most common symptom in myeloma, affecting nearly 70% of patients. The pain usually involves the back and ribs.
High serum protein (especially raised globulins or immunoglobulin) may prompt further testing.
Multiple myeloma can produce all classes of immunoglobulin, but IgG paraproteins are most common, followed by IgA and IgM.
Please let me know the detail immunoglobulin reports.

Regards

Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (9 minutes later)

What does "the suspicion of" mean? What else could this be?

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (51 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Suspicious means doubtful of

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
There are other possibilities also.I will be in a better position to tell you,if you post your ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate),Serum proteins and Immunoglobulin profiles

Regards

Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (1 hour later)

Thank you for the follow up. I was actually hoping you would say that there are many causes for an increase in gamma globulin, particularly since I was sick just before the blood test. I return to the doctor for furhter testing tomorrow and will ask for details regarding the test.

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (10 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Increase in gamma globulin level in blood

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
There are many other causes of increase in gamma globulin:

Gamma Globulins are increased in chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Increases in the concentration of specific isotypes of gamma globulins are often helpful in the recognition of certain chronic liver diseases
Diffuse polyclonal increases in IgG levels are common in autoimmune hepatitis.
Increases in the IgM levels are common in primary biliary cirrhosis, while increases in the IgA levels occur in alcoholic liver disease.
Increased gamma globulin levels in blood are also found in :
Discoid lupus erythematosus
Hamman-Rich syndrome
Takayasu arteritis
Chronic Granulomatous Disease
The list is however not complete.

Regards

Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju