[Computed tomography diagnosis of symptomatic ossification of the thoracic flaval ligaments]

We report two rare cases of prominent ossified ligamenta flava of the thoraco-lumbar junction. The first case presented with thoracic myelopathy diagnosed by spinal MRI. The definite diagnosis and the nature of the T10-T11 compressing process was established by spiral CT with multiaxial reconstruction and the patient was treated by laminectomy. In the second case the ossifications were found on a lateral lumbar X-ray and confirmed by spiral CT with multiplanar reconstructions. The pathology was essentially confined to the lateral portion of the T12-L1 ligamenta flava resulting in stenosis of the formaina only with respect of the central canal. The current literature is reviewed and the major role of CT for the diagnosis of such rare calcifying process of the spine is emphasized.