Crowned dens syndrome is said to account for as much as 2% of acute neck pain. The diagnosis is mostly clinical. The patient will present with acute neck pain, elevated acute phase reactants, calcific deposits overlying the dens on x-ray or CT scan, and the lack of an alternative diagnosis. In >4...

Crowned dens syndrome (CDS) is a rare cause of acute neck pain accompanied by stiffness, limited mobility and fever. The ESR and CRP are elevated. CDS results from crystal deposition in the cruciform and alar ligaments surrounding the dens, appearing as a radiopaque "crown" surrounding the top of th...