Rapidly progressing neurological disturbance due to intraspinal calcification in a patient with systemic sclerosis
K. Ogawa , T. Ogawa , T. Ogura A1, M. Akutsu A1, E. Saito A1
(1)Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
(2)Arthritis Center, Boston University School of Medicine, K5 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
Abstract A 53-year-old woman with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dsSSc) who developed muscle weakness in her lower extremities was admitted to our hospital. Computed tomography (CT) of her thoracic spine showed paraspinal and intraspinal calcifications producing severe spinal stenosis. After admission, her neurological symptoms, including muscle weakness and sensory disturbance, rapidly progressed and finally her lower extremities became completely paraplegic. After initiation of diltiazem and bucillamine, her neurological disturbance showed a marked improvement. A CT scan of the thoracic spine after medication showed dominant decrements in both intraspinal and paraspinal calcifications.
