McCune-Albright Syndrome

  • Fibrous dysplasia, precocious puberty & café-au-lait patches form the McCune-Albright syndrome
  • Genetic, noninheritable disease
  • Caused by mutations in G proteins leading to activation of cyclic AMP
  • café-au-lait spots are smaller, darker & have a more irregular contour than those seen in NF (coast of Maine)
  • NF lesions have a smoother contour, coast of California)
CT of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia in McCune-Albright syndrome
CT of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia in McCune-Albright syndrome. Image by see above, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Histology of fibrous dysplasia, the bone lesion of McCune-Albright syndrome
Histology of fibrous dysplasia, the bone lesion of McCune-Albright syndrome. Image by Nephron, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Reviewed by Professor Phong Tran, Head of Orthopaedic Surgery, Western Health. Last updated 10 October 2026.