Acute symptomatic intervertebral disk calcification in a child with retropharyngeal edema: computed tomography and magnetic resonance findings.

Intervertebral disk calcification in children is an uncommon self-limiting disease, which can cause symptoms like neck pain or torticollis, and can be treated with conservative management. The calcified disk material can herniate anteriorly, inducing dysphagia, or herniate posteriorly, causing neurologic symptoms secondary to spinal cord compression. We report computed tomography and magnetic resonance findings of a symptomatic intervertebral disk calcification at the C2-3 level with retropharyngeal edema caused by anterior herniation of calcified material in a 7-year-old boy.

[1]  L. Swischuk,et al.  Calcific discitis in children: vertebral body involvement (possible insight into etiology) , 2008, Emergency Radiology.

[2]  Daniel G. Hoernschemeyer,et al.  Multilevel pediatric cervicothoracic intervertebral disc calcifications. , 2008, American journal of orthopedics.

[3]  L. Swischuk,et al.  Calcific discitis: MRI changes in discs without visible calcification , 1991, Pediatric Radiology.

[4]  M. Duhaime,et al.  Herniation of a Calcified Cervical Disc Into the Foramen Transversarium in an 8-Year-Old Child , 2004, Spine.

[5]  L. Dai,et al.  The natural history of cervical disc calcification in children. , 2004, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[6]  Paul Clopton,et al.  Intervertebral disk calcification of the spine in an elderly population: radiographic prevalence, location, and distribution and correlation with spinal degeneration. , 2004, Radiology.

[7]  D. Udén,et al.  Cervical intervertebral disc calcification in children , 1987, Child's Nervous System.

[8]  S. Mahboubi,et al.  Imaging of spinal infections in children. , 2001, Radiologic clinics of North America.

[9]  V. Seifert,et al.  Intervertebral Disc Calcification in Childhood – A Case Report and Review of the Literature , 2001, Acta Neurochirurgica.

[10]  J. Eastwood,et al.  Retropharyngeal effusion in acute calcific prevertebral tendinitis: diagnosis with CT and MR imaging. , 1998, AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology.

[11]  Cassidy Jd,et al.  Cervical disc calcification in children: a case report , 1989 .

[12]  T. Taylor,et al.  Intervertebral disc calcification syndromes in children. , 1982, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume.

[13]  A. Weinberger,et al.  Intervertebral disc calcification in adults: a review. , 1978, Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism.

[14]  M. B. Coventry.  Calcification in a cervical disc with anterior protrusion and dysphagia. A case report. , 1970, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.