Acute Longus Colli Tendinitis without Calcification

Chul-Hyung Kang; Eun Seok Son; Du Hwan Kim; Hyung-Gyu Jang

doi:10.4055/jkoa.2015.50.3.264

Journal List > J Korean Orthop Assoc > v.50(3) > 1013379

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Kang, Son, Kim, and Jang: Acute Longus Colli Tendinitis without Calcification

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association 2015; 50(3): 264-267.

Published online: 30 June 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2015.50.3.264

Acute Longus Colli Tendinitis without Calcification

Chul-Hyung Kang, M.D., Ph.D., Eun Seok Son, M.D., Ph.D., Du Hwan Kim, M.D.^*, Hyung-Gyu Jang, M.D.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

^*Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

Correspondence to: Eun Seok Son, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, 56 Dalseong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-712, Korea. TEL: +82-53-250-7478, FAX: +82-53-250-7205, esson@dsmc.or.kr

Received 29 October 2013 Revised 19 November 2014 Accepted 25 January 2015

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Calcific tendinitis of the longus colli is an inflammatory disease caused by calcium hydroxyapatite crystal deposition in the longus colli tendon of the prevertebral space. It is also known as retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis or prevertebral tendinitis. The typical imaging characteristics of this entity are calcifications on the superior insertion of the longus colli tendons at the C1-2 level and fluid collection in the retropharyngeal space. However, we introduce a case of acute longus colli tendinitis without definite calcification deposition on image findings.

Keywords: longus colli, calcification, tendinitis

Figures and Tables

Figure 1

Prevertebral edema (white arrows) is observed in the retropharyngeal space from the C3 to the C5 level on sagittal (A) and axial (B) T2-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI). An enhanced axial MRI (C) shows prevertebral edema without peripheral rim enhancement (white arrow) and diffuse enhancement of the longus colli (black arrow).

Figure 2

There is no definite calcific deposit on sagittal (A), axial at the level of C1-2 (B) and axial at the level of C4 (C) computed tomography scan.

Notes

^{CONFLICTS OF INTEREST} The authors have nothing to disclose.

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