1 A PALEOPATHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF PERTHES DISEASE Ana Carina MARQUES Eugénia CUNHA Departamento de Antropologia Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia Universidade de Coimbra INTRODUCTION Twenty years ago, the remains of an early medieval cemetery were found in a small village of the Portuguese littoral, Maiorca. During construction works, human bones become exposed some of which were destroyed by the landscaping machines. As a consequence, part of the bones were commingled. Moreover, although some graves were kept intact the posterior inadequate bones storage, lead to a complete mixture of the remains which were, consequently, treated as an ossuary. The part of the cemetery that was excavated consisted of twelve graves apparently with more than one individual by burial. The estimated minimum number of individuals is 21 (15 adults and 6 non adults), being the adults mostly males and middle aged. Among the commingled bones, the most striking case concerns an acetabulum and associa- ted femoral head of an adult with a evident pathological aspect. As the rest of the skeleton was missing, these were the only pieces available for the diagnostic. After an accurate analysis, the most probable diagnostic of this collapsed hip seem to be Perthes disease (also known as Legg- Calvé-Perthes disease; Juvenile deformans; Coxa plana; Osteochondritis of the hip; Superior femoral epiphysitis; Perthes disease; Legg-Perthes disease; Legg-Calvé-Perthes-Waldenstrom´s disease). We will briefly describe the lesion and justify the proposed diagnostic. MACROSCOPICALANALYSIS The femoral head suffered an intense enlargement of size, accompanied by massive bone for- mation and widening of femoral neck giving a mushroom shape. Eburnation is, as well, noticea- ble with eminent porosity. Regarding the acetabulum, the increase in size is also very evident. Note also the great poro- sity and eburnation particularly in the inner surface. Moreover, on its lateral side, there are signs of great amount of bone formation and remodelling. All of the above mentioned features, seems to be connected, since the increasing size of the femoral head is leading to modifications on the acetabulum shape, that altogether, induced a severe degenerative disease, on both articular surfaces. RADIOLOGICALANALYSIS The X-ray image is characterised by increased radiological density mixed with areas of radiolucency, showing disorganisation of the bone architecture. On the lateral view of the X-ray, the femoral "mushroom shape" is very evident. Finally metaphyseal cysts, with radiolucent lesion that may simulate an abscess or tumour, can be observed.