Tyrannosaurus Rex
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scientific correspondence Tyrannosaurs suffered from gout out is a metabolic disorder in which Figure 1 Dorsolatera l views Gurate crystals accumulate as space and X-ray of gouty lesions. a, occupying masses, producing monarticular DMNH 30665 metaca rpal I. spheroidal erosions in bone, often associ Erosion (arrow) with overhang ated with new bone growth at their ing edge. b, DMNH 30665 borders1- 3• We now report the first identifi metacarpal II. Spheroidal char cation of such lesions in dinosaurs. Carica acter of erosion is prominent at tures of the agony and ill-temper of those its base (delineated by a black afflicted with gout are magnified by its line ). Slightly overhanging edge recognition in Tyrannosaurus rex. (arrow) noted at lower margin In a cast of the right forearm of the of erosion. A second spher T. rex from Hell Creek Formation, South oidal erosion is present to Dakota, popularly known as 'Sue'4 (speci the left and slightly above the men DMNH 30665; held at Denver a first lesion. c, TMP 92.36.328 Museum of Natural History), we observed phalanx 1-1. Oblong erosive that metacarpal I had a lesion of 11.5 x process (arrow) consisting of 9 mm with a slight rim (Fig. la). In addi two confluent spheroid ero tion, metacarpal II has a dorsal lesion of sions. Black area at the bottom 7.1 x 5 mm, surrounded by an overhanging of the erosion is an optical illu rim of bone (Fig. lb), and a second medial sion. Arrow points to a slightly surface erosion, 3 mm deep. This seren bui lt-up adjacent bone. d, dipitous observation led us to study other Oblique radiological view of tyrannosaurids for erosive diseases. TMP 92.36.328, illustrated in c. Of 83 tyrannosaurid phalanges at the Two spheroidal erosions with Royal Tyrrell Museum, only one specimen overhanging edges. (TMP 92.36.328) has erosive lesions. The specimen is a partial tyrannosaurid pedal proximal phalanx (1-1) from Bonebed 149 (Upper Cretaceous), Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. It has a defect (Fig. le) at the distal articular junction of characterized by the fronts of resorption Tyrannosaurus rex, a factor in humans subchondral and marginal bone. Slightly seen in rheumatoid arthritis and spondylo is diet, by the ingestion of foods with built-up bone forms an overhanging edge, arthropathy2·6; the ill-defined lesions of cal a high purine content. One such dietary overlying a smoothly excavated area of cium pyrophosphate deposition disease7; component is red meat, no stranger to this 4 x 9 mm, formed by the coalescence of two osteoarthritis (which does not produce denizen from the Cretaceous. This tyrant adjacent masses, as confirmed by radiologi bone erosions) 1-3; the draining sinuses and king seems to have shared with subsequent cal evaluation (Fig. ld). There are no inter disorganized underlying osseous structure tyrants the susceptibility to gout. nal fronts or zones of bone resorption of infectious arthritis and osteomyelitis i-3; Bruce M. Rothschild (Fig. 1) and there is no loss of perilesional and from osteosarcoma (which does not Arthritis Center of Northeast Ohio, bone density. Minimal filigree periosteal afflict joints) 1- 3• A concurrent superficial Youngstown, reaction is also present. Epi-illumination bone infection in TMP 92.36.328 probably Ohio 44512, USA microscopy of the intact specimen, using resulted from perforation of overlying skin Darren Tanke polarizing optics, failed to reveal birefrin by the gouty accumulation. Royal Tyrrell Museum, gent urate crystal preservation. The apparent localization of erosion to Drumhelle1; Gout is recognized clinically by docu the metacarpals and phalanges in tyran Alberta TOY 0Y0, Canada mentation of urate crystal accumulation or nosaurids may be the result of species varia Ken Carpenter by the recognition of characteristic radio tion. Only 15 per cent of human gout Denver Museum ofNatural History, logical findings1- 3•5_ Identification of the afflicts such joints, whereas first metatarsal Denver, alkali-soluble crystals is usually not possible phalangeal joints are more commonly Colorado 80205, USA affected (45 per cent of cases) 1- 3,5_ in archaeological, let alone palaeontologi I. Resnick, D. & Niwayama, G. Diagnosis ofBon e and Joint cal, specimens 1-3, and was not possible in Urate deposition in extant reptiles has Disorders 2nd edn (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1989). this case. Thus, macroscopic and radiologi been reported in both visceral and articular 2. Rothschild, B. M. & Martin, L. Pafeopathology. Disease in the Fossil Record (CRC, London, 1993). cal appearance must form the basis for forms8• The latter has been reported in the 3. Rothschild, B. M. & Heathcote, G. M. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 98, recognition of gout in prehistory. The uni monitor lizard ( Varanus), turtles ( Testudo 519-525 ( 1995). formly excavated nature of the erosions in and Kinixys), crocodilians (Alligator and 4. Lirscn, P. L. /. Vert. Paleontol. 11, 41 A--42A (1 991). these specimens is characteristic of gout. Crocodilus) and in teguexin lizards 5. McCarty, D. J. Arthritis and Allied Conditions: A Textbook of Spheroid lesions with overhanging edges, (Tupinambis). These two occurrences in Rheumatology (Lea and Febigcr, Philadelphia, 1989). 6. Rothschild, B. M. et al. Am. f. Phys. Anthropol. 82, 441--449 common in gout, are only rarely reported in tyrannosaurids indicate that gout may have ( 1990). other diseases, such as multicentric reticu had a frequency similar to that observed in 7. Rothschild, B. M., Woods, R. J. & Rothschild, C. Clin. Exp. lohistiocytosis, amyloidosis and type IIA birds 9. Rheumatol. 10, 557- 564 (1992). 8. Appleby, E. C. & Siller, W. G. /. Pathol. Bacterial. 80, 427- 430 hyperlipoproteinaemia '-3• Although dehydration (reported in rep (1 960). The Tyrannosaurus erosions are quite tiles)8 and renal failure (reported in 9. Schlumberger, H. G. Lab. Inve.n 8, 1304- 131 8 ( I 959). distinct from the 'bite-like' erosions birds)9•10 could be contributing factors in 10.Silkr, W. G. Lab. Invest. 8, 1319- 1346 (1959). NATURE IVOL 387 I 22 MAY l 997 357 .