Soft tissue calcifications in the lower extremities of severely diabetic patients simulating venous stasis or collagen vascular disease.

The purpose of this work is to report soft tissue calcifications in severely diabetic patients that simulate venous stasis or scleroderma, without other stigmata of these diseases. Findings from lower extremity radiographs were reviewed on two patients with severe diabetes mellitus and abnormal soft tissue calcifications. Findings were correlated with clinical history, physical exam findings, and laboratory values. Both patients in this study demonstrate radiographic findings of lower extremity soft tissue calcifications similar to those seen in venous stasis or scleroderma. Clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory values support severe diabetes mellitus, with no evidence of these other disease entities. Patients with severe diabetes mellitus may exhibit soft tissue calcifications of their lower extremities that may simulate the changes of venous stasis or scleroderma. This association has not been previously described.