Bowed legs of a middle-aged man with rickets or osteomalacia,a nutritional deficiency of vitamin D which results in malformation of the skeleton. The term rickets is applied to childhood disease. Vitamin D is necessary for the uptake of calcium from food; without the vitamin not enough calcium salts are deposited in the bones to make them rigid. Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet light. The deficiency can therefore be caused by lack of sunlight as well as insufficient dietary intake. In adult osteomalacia,a progressive softening and decalcification of bone takes place | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Marazzi, Dr. P. |
Bildgröße: | 3518 px × 5079 px |
Modell-Rechte: | vorhanden |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: |
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