Cervical Myelopathy Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament and DISH

Description: Cervical Myelopathy Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament and Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis: problems in investigation
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 1987;46:166-168;
I D Griffiths and T P Fitzjohn
This report describes a patient presenting with a spastic quadriplegia who was found to have both diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) in the cervical spine. There was a dramatic worsening of his symptoms during a myelogram examination of the neck. It is suggested that computed tomographic imaging of the neck is the preferred investigative procedure if OPLL is suspected as a cause of cervical myelopathy.