title: Recurrent back pain and fevers.
abstract: An elderly woman presented with her third episode of back pain, fever and neurological deficits. She subsequently developed pseudogout of the knee, and a diagnosis was made of systemic calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) involving the spine and causing intermittent cauda equina syndrome. This case illustrates the difficulty of differentiating infection from CPPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand. chris.cameron@cdhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: Christina R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Carl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Burgess
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D002805:Chondrocalcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence; D013166:Spondylitis / Q000175:diagnosis