Multifocal osteonecrosis related to steroid treatment in a patient with ulcerative colitis.

A case of multifocal steroid related osteonecrosis in a patient with ulcerative colitis is presented. The pathogenesis, diagnosis, natural history, and treatment of the disease is discussed briefly with emphasis on the importance of early diagnosis--preferably by magnetic resonance imaging. Early diagnosis often depends on the gastroenterologist considering the possibility of osteonecrosis.