Acute Calcific Tendinitis of the Longus Colli : A Case Report

Acute calcific tendinitis of the longus colli muscle presenting as an acute neck pain is not common. The present unusual case is a thirty eight year-old man who complained of an acute onset of neck pain. Lateral aspect of a plain X-ray of the neck showed a retropharyngeal space being dilated by 13.9 mm. CT/MRI delineated a partly calcified longus colli muscle with an effusion at the retropharyngeal space. Calcific tendinitis of the longus colli can be clinically misdiagnosed as retropharyngeal abscess, traumatic sequelae or infectious spondylitis. Correct radiographical diagnosis can be made by the presence of a calcified shadow anterior to C1-2 body, prevertebral soft tissue swelling and retropharyngeal effusion. His neck pain gradually ameliorated within 1 week by an administration of NSAIDs and neck rest. We present an uncommon case of acute calcific tendinitis of the longus colli muscle diagnosed by on unusual neck pain and the pathognomonic findings on the neuroimaging.