Tiny, focal, posterior left paracentral disc herniation at t7/t8 abuts the spinal cord could this cause sudden shortness of breath, chest pain ?

That CT or MRI finding is less likely the cause of acute chest pain and shortness of breath (dyspnea).

I think upper thoracic pain would be the most likely symptom. A deep breath may trigger some of the discomfort. I would look for other reasons for chest pain & sudden shortness of breath by getting a medical evaluation. An evaluation by a neurologist or neurosurgeon would also be recommended for information about what symptoms the disc herniation could cause and for treatment options.

As mentioned, sudden shortness of breath secondary to anxiety could be due to episodic pain, but you need to have testing to confirm. Skeptical that your small disc issue is causing more than local mid-back pain, muscle tightness, and stiffness. Chest aching could be secondary. Have your doctor sort this out.