CALCIUM-CARBONATE APATITE DEPOSITION IN THE CERVICAL-SPINE WITH ASSOCIATED VERTEBRAL DESTRUCTION - CASE REPORT

This 52-year-old woman developed crystal deposition disease involving the cervical vertebrae. She presented with symptomatic spinal cord com pression secondary to extensive calcified lesions in the posterior ele ments of the cervical spine. Surgical decompression with posterior fus ion was performed. Histological examination showed hardened deposits o f calcium carbonate involving the soft tissue, and dissolution of the vertebral bone trabeculae. There was no inflammatory response to these deposits. One year postoperatively the patient developed severe pulmo nary disease associated with the collagen-vascular disorder, scleroder ma (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal hypomotility, sclerod actyly, and telangiectasia [CREST] syndrome). Calcium carbonate deposi tion disease represents an unusual clinical entity that is possibly as sociated with scleroderma or other collagen-vascular diseases, and it is distinct from ligamentum flavum calcification, calcium pyrophosphat e deposition disease, and hydroxyapatite deposition disease.