Rapidly progressing neurological disturbance due to intraspinal calcification in a patient with systemic sclerosis

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.