Calcific prevertebral tendinitis is a cause of neck pain that is often overlooked.
Muscle: longus colli
Probable mechanism: deposition of hydroxyapatite crystals
Clinical features:
(1) adult with the sudden onset of neck pain and stiffness, made worse with movement or swallowing
(2) variable headache
(3) variable throat pain
(4) variable odynophagia
Laboratory features:
(1) elevated C-reactive protein
Imaging studies show changes in the retropharyngeal space:
(1) amorphous calcifications just inferior to the C1 arch at the insertion of the longus colli tendon
(2) fluid
(3) prevertebral soft tissue swelling
Differential diagnosis:
(1) retropharyngeal abscess
(2) traumatic injury
(3) meningitis
(4) infectious spondylitis
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Specialty: Surgery, orthopedic
ICD-10: ,
