Plasma cell myeloma: multiple calvarial lytic lesions of an individual from the Middle Ages, Poland

Abstract A partially preserved cranium affected by multiple lytic lesions was discovered accidentally by a farmer during fieldwork in Rgielsko village, Poland. The discovery was reported to the Prosecutor’s office and the police. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations, medical imaging methods, and radiocarbon dating were conducted. The main aim of the study was to diagnose lytic lesions and to study the archaeological context. The biological profile assessment results indicated the cranium belonged to an adult female. Computed tomography, common in clinical practice, enabled the diagnosis of the lesions as Plasma Cell Myeloma (PCM). Radiocarbon dating results showed that the individual dates to the 11th–12th centuries AD. The examined cranium may help expand the limited paleopathological literature on PCM in Poland and contribute to the global number of reported cases. The clinical examinations were limited to medical imaging studies because other diagnostic tests, such as blood/urine and bone marrow analyses, were not possible.