Paget's disease of bone: current concepts in pathogenesis and treatment.

Recent advances have been made in understanding the aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of Paget's disease of bone (osteitis deformans). The role of viruses in the pathogenesis of the disease has been extensively investigated, although no causative link has yet been demonstrated between infective agents and Paget's disease. Recent advances in the diagnosis of the disease have been made with increasing usage of radionucleotide imaging to determine the extent and distribution of the lesions. Treatment options have been extended with the emergence of the biphosphonates as potential main line therapeutic agents.