The case histories of three patients, a man and two boys, with
disappearing bone disease are reported. The clinical, roentgenographic, and
histopathological features are described in detail. Histologically, in the
early stages of the disease, the vanishing bone is replaced by numerous
wide engorged capillaries. Eventually the bone is replaced by dense fibrous
tissue. All three patients were treated by radiotherapy. Histochemical
studies performed in one case revealed strong acid phosphatase and leucine
aminopeptidase activities in perivascular mononuclear cells (possibly
pericytes), suggesting that these cells took part in the bone
resorption.