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Related Experiment Videos

Thoracic disk herniation mimicking renal crisis.

C. Georges1, C. Toledano, A.M. Zagdanski

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Saint-Louis Hospital, 1 avenue Claude Vellefaux, Paris 75010, France.

European Journal of Internal Medicine
|April 7, 2004
PubMed
Summary

A calcified herniated disc at T11-T12 caused severe back pain mimicking kidney stones in a 45-year-old woman. This case highlights a rare cause of abdominal pain due to spinal issues.

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Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Spinal Surgery
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Abdominal pain is a common presenting complaint with a broad differential diagnosis.
  • Renal colic is a frequent cause of acute abdominal pain, often necessitating imaging and urological consultation.
  • Spinal pathology can occasionally refer pain to the abdomen, mimicking visceral pain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of radiculalgia T12 mimicking renal colic.
  • To illustrate the diagnostic challenge posed by atypical presentations of spinal conditions.
  • To emphasize the importance of considering non-urological causes for flank and abdominal pain.

Main Methods:

  • A case report of a 45-year-old female patient.
  • Clinical presentation review including pain characteristics and prior medical history.

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  • Diagnostic imaging including X-ray and MRI of the thoracic spine.
  • Correlation of imaging findings with clinical symptoms.

    • Main Results:

    • The patient presented with severe, colicky pain indistinguishable from renal colic.
    • Imaging revealed a calcified herniated intervertebral disc at the T11-T12 level.
    • The herniated disc was identified as the cause of T12 radiculalgia, leading to the referred abdominal pain.

    Conclusions:

    • Calcified thoracic disc herniation can present as abdominal pain mimicking renal colic.
    • Thorough neurological and spinal evaluation is crucial in cases of unexplained abdominal pain.
    • This case underscores the importance of considering spinal nerve root compression in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain.