title: Clinics in diagnostic imaging (161). Cervical OPLL with cord compression.
abstract: A 53-year-old man presented with acute cervical myelopathy following a fall. Cervical radiography and computed tomography showed ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) from C2 to C6 level, with severe cervical canal stenosis and cord compression. Magnetic resonance imaging further showed increased T2-weighted signal in the spinal cord at the level of greatest central spinal canal stenosis. OPLL is a significant cause of myelopathy in Asian populations and is found in up to 25% of patients presenting with cervical compression myelopathy. The clinical presentation, radiological evaluation and management of OPLL are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Wen Qi
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Bak Siew Steven
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017887:Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: cord compression syndrome; myelopathy; ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament