Pathological studies on calcification of the intervertebral discs.
Calcified deposits in the intervertebral discs of 35 cadavers microradiographically appeared as linear of flake-like densities composed of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals and as multiple punctates possibly composed of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) crystals. Calcium deposits were found in 57% of the cadavers by microradiography and 63% by light microscopy, without known metabolic or familial history related to articular chondrocalcinosis. By scanning electron microscopy, CPPD crystals were mainly rod-like, rectangular and cuboid and were about 4 to 10 mu in length while DCPD crystals were prismatic and about 20 to 60 microns in length.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D002131:Calcium Pyrophosphate / Q000032:analysis; D003460:Crystallization; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008852:Microradiography; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged
D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D002131:Calcium Pyrophosphate