title: Cervical intervertebral disc calcification combined with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament in an-11-year old girl: case report and review of literature.
abstract: To present the clinical feature, radiographic characteristic, treatment and prognosis of an 11 years old girl with cervical intervertebral disc calcification combined with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Calcification is the degeneration of intervertebral disc, mostly occurs in the cervical segment. The pediatric cervical intervertebral disc calcification associated with OPLL is very rare. The etiology and treatment guidelines of this complex are poorly known.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 11 years old girl experienced neck pain for 3 months,aggravated for half a month. Neurological examination revealed the limitation of cervical spine motion and numbness of the upper left extremity. The spine radiograph, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of cervical intervertebral disc calcification accompanied with OPLL. Conservative intervention was performed, followed up with an observation for 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On admission, the spine radiograph and computed tomography found the calcified intervertebral disc of C5/6 and ossified posterior longitudinal ligament at C5/6,C6 level, leading to spinal canal stenosis and spine cord compression. After a two-week in-hospital conservative treatment, the patient's neurologic symptoms were relieved. Two months later, the computed tomography confirmed the calcification of C5/6 intervertebral disc and ossified mass decreased significantly, spinal stenosis subsided. Six months later, the patient felt no discomfort, the computed tomography showed the ossified mass completely disappeared, only a small calcification remained at C5/6 intervertebral disc.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intervertebral disc calcification associated with OPLL is extremely rare in children. In this case, OPLL is a temporary condition highly related to the disease process of Intervertebral disc calcification. The patient has a satisfactory recovery after non-surgical intervention. Conservative treatment is a prospective choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The 2nd Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
authors.forename: Guoqiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The 2nd Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
authors.forename: Yijun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The 2nd Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The 2nd Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China. wbspineyoung@163.com.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017887:Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Cervical spine; Intervertebral disc calcification; Ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament; Pediatric