title: Spinal cord compression by ectopic calcinosis in scleroderma.
abstract: Systemic sclerosis (SS) is a chronic, multisystemic disease, characterized by inflammation associated with fibrosis. Calcinosis is one of the manifestations of this disorder, observed in 10 to 20% of cases. It is usually located on the extensor surface of the phalanges, peri-articular tissue and near the bone prominences. There are only a few cases reported of SS with vertebral column involvement and spinal cord compression by calcinosis causing serious neurological complications. We describe a fatal case of SS who showed tetraplegia secondary to ectopic calcinosis in the cervical medulla and present a review of the literature on the subject.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Medicina e Saúde Pública da Bahia/Núcleo de Reumatologia da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: I V S
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Galrão
authors.forename: T S L
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Santiago
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed