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Case Reports
. 2017 Jun 27;28(2):101-105.
doi: 10.31138/mjr.28.2.101. eCollection 2017 Jun.

Crowned Dens Syndrome as a cause of acute neck pain: a Case Report and Review of the Literature

Ali Abdul-Rahman Younis  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Crowned Dens Syndrome as a cause of acute neck pain: a Case Report and Review of the Literature

Ali Abdul-Rahman Younis. Mediterr J Rheumatol. .

Abstract

Crowned dens syndrome (CDS) is a rare clinical entity characterized by acute neck pain due to calcification around the odontoid process of the axis in "crown-like" configuration. Crystalline deposition in cervical vertebrae is less well known disease entity and only a limited number of cases have been reported to date. I here present a case of 79-year- old woman who developed acute severe neck pain and stiffness. Cervical computed tomography (CT) scan detected periodontoid calcification and a diagnosis of Crowned dens syndrome was made. Crowned dens syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute neck pain, particularly in old age patients.

Keywords: Calcium pyrophosphate; Neck pain; crowned dens syndrome; odontoid process; pseudogout.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Cervical radiograph: spondylosis.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
Sagittal T1-weighted (a) and T2-weighted (b) Cervical MRI: soft tissue thickening posterior to the dens.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
(a) and 3 (b): Cervical CT: calcification lateral to the dens (coronal).
Figure 4:
Figure 4:
Cervical CT: linear calcification posterior to the dens (sagittal).
Figure 5:
Figure 5:
Cervical CT: calcification of the transverse ligament (axial).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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