Loading image…
Slice 6 of 13
Can you make the diagnosis?
Review the images, then reveal
MRIMusculoskeletalConfirmedFRCR 2B
Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (mixed type)
Clinical Presentation
Middle aged female with back pain and increasing spastic paraparesis.
- 1Heavily ossified and thickened posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) from C4 down to T3 with resultant obliteration of the anterior and posterior CSF column at these levels.The cervical cord returns a normal homogeneous signal.The ossified PLL extends further down to T7, but is less pronounced.At T8/T9 a hypertrophic protuberant ossified PLL produces cord impingement with myelomalacia.At T11/T12 slightly protuberant ossified PLL produces, but no significant cord compromise.At L5/S1 degenerative disc disease with central disc protrusion causes compression on both exiting S1 nerve roots.