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Retropharyngeal Tendinitis: A Rare Differential Diagnosis of Severe Headaches and Neck Pain
Author(s) -
Harnier Simon,
Kuhn Jens,
Harzheim Andreas,
Bewermeyer Heiko,
Limmroth Volker
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2007.00915.x
Subject(s) - medicine , retropharyngeal abscess , neck pain , differential diagnosis , pathognomonic , headaches , surgery , bursitis , tendonitis , retropharyngeal space , calcific tendinitis , radiology , abscess , tendon , pathology , rotator cuff , alternative medicine , disease , computed tomography
Retropharyngeal tendinitis is a rare cause of intense neck pain and occipital headache. It is caused by an aseptic inflammatory process in the longus colli tendon, triggered by deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite crystal. Clinically, it can be misdiagnosed as retropharyngeal abscess, traumatic injury, infectious spondylitis, cervical artery dissection, or even meningitis. The diagnosis is made radiographically by a nearly pathognomonic amorphous calcification anterior to C1‐C2 and prevertebral soft tissue swelling. We present a new case of this uncommon condition exhibiting some unusual features.