Crowned dens syndrome—case of crystal deposition in cervical spine

Abstract

Neck pain can be very bothersome for patients, and most will seek analgesic relief as soon as possible. We present a case of crystal deposition in the cervical spine where a frail patient admitted for pneumonia developed severe neck pain raising suspicion of discitis, and did not respond to standard analgesic medications. Investigations revealed crystal deposition around the dens and alar ligaments (C1 and C2 Spine) suggestive of crowned dens syndrome, which responded promptly to steroid therapy and averting the patient from invasive investigations and intense treatment with antibiotics.