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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration
Published on: July 8, 2021
[Idiopathic intervertebral disc calcification in children: the role of diagnostic imaging. A case report]
Lorenzo Falcone1, Pasquale Rossiello, Ignazio D'Addetta
1U.O. di Radiologia, Ospedale Pediatrico Giovanni XXIII, Bari. LorenzoFalcone@libero.it
Abstract:
The idiopathic calcification of the intervertebral disc in childhood is a rare syndrome with unknown aetiology. This pathology is more frequent in males, with predominant localization to cervical spine. The natural evolution of the syndrome is the progressive and spontaneous resorption of the calcific deposit, with symptom regression. We report a case of an acute and worsening torticollis in a 10-year-old child, with reference to a recent minor cervical distortion, resistant to analgesic treatment. X-ray evaluation, executed after a week from the appearance of torticollis, showed an oval calcification in the nucleus pulposus of the C6-C7 intervertebral disc. The CT and especially the MRI concurred to recognize a disc hernia and an adjacent osteo-ligamentous pathologic participation. In particular, MRI showed the adjacent vertebral spongy bone edema and the active enthesiopathy of the posterior longitudinal ligament.
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An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
