Phalangeal microgeodic syndrome in childhood: report of seven cases and review of the literature.

Seven cases of phalangeal microgeodic syndrome in childhood are reported. Reviewing the literature, we have found a total of thirty Japanese cases, including the cases of our own. On the other hand, only ten cases have been reported outside Japan. The mean age of onset of the Japanese was six and a half years, which is older than that in the initial description. Of further interest is the fact all the cases in Japan occurred sporadically and exclusively in winter, and regressed spontaneously and fairly rapidly within six months. Furthermore, most of the cases reported in Europe also occurred in the winter months. These facts imply an etiological relationship between the lowered temperature and the bone lesions.