ABSTRACT
SUMMARY: Pineal gland calcification is the most common physiological intracranial calcification followed by the choroid plexus calcification. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of the pineal gland and choroid plexus calcification among the Iraqi population attending computed tomography scan units in Baghdad, estimate the mean diameters of the pineal gland calcification, and to detect any correlation between these calcifications with age and sex. This multi-centric cross-sectional study examined 485 CT scans of Iraqi patients between the ages of 1 and 100 years attending CT scan units in the period 1 December 2018 to 1 April 2019. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The prevalence of pineal gland calcification was found to be 68 % with the 30-39 age group and male sex predominance. It was found to increase after the first decade of life without real consistency. The mean for pineal gland calcification anterior-posterior diameter was 4.55±2.13 and the mean of the right-left diameter was 3.95±1.54. These diameters were found to differ according to sex and age. Choroid plexus calcification was found to have a prevalence of 53.6 %. In most cases, choroid plexus calcification was found bilaterally (77.3 %). There was no difference in sex, but choroid plexus. In conclusion, calcification was noticed to increase gradually according to age. Both pineal gland and choroid plexus calcification have a relatively high prevalence. While pineal gland calcification formation was demonstrated to have a close relation to age and sex, choroid plexus calcification formation was noticed to relate only to age.
RESUMEN: La calcificación de la glándula pineal es la calcificación intracraneal fisiológica más común después de la calcificación del plexo coroideo. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la prevalencia de calcificación de la glándula pineal y del plexo coroideo entre la población iraquí que asiste a las unidades de tomografía computarizada en Bagdad, estimar los diámetros medios de la calcificación de la glándula pineal y detectar la posible correlación entre estas calcificaciones con la edad y el sexo. Este estudio transversal multicéntrico examinó 485 tomografías computarizadas de pacientes iraquíes entre 1 y 100 años de edad que asistieron a unidades de tomografía computarizada en el período del 1 de diciembre de 2018 al 1 de abril de 2019. Se utilizaron estadísticas descriptivas e inferenciales. Se encontró una prevalencia de calcificación de la glándula pineal del 68 % con predominio del sexo masculino en el grupo de 30 a 39 años. Se observó que aumentaba después de la primera década de vida sin una coherencia real. La media del diámetro anteroposterior de la calcificación de la glándula pineal fue de 4,55 ± 2,13 y la media del DIÁ- METRO derecho-izquierdo fue de 3,95 ± 1,54; estos diámetros difieren según el sexo y la edad. La calcificación del plexo coroideo tiene una prevalencia del 53,6 %. En la mayoría de los casos, la calcificación del plexo coroideo se encontró de forma bilateral (77,3%). No hubo diferencia de sexo, no obstante en el plexo coroideo se observó que la calcificación aumentaba gradualmente según la edad. Tanto la calcificación de la glándula pineal como del plexo coroideo tienen una prevalencia relativamente alta. Si bien se demostró que la formación de calcificación de la glándula pineal está relacionada con la edad y el sexo, se observó que la formación de calcificación del plexo coroideo se relaciona solo con la edad.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Young Adult , Pineal Gland/diagnostic imaging , Calcinosis/epidemiology , Calcinosis/diagnostic imaging , Choroid Plexus/diagnostic imaging , Pineal Gland/pathology , Calcinosis/pathology , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Sex Factors , Prevalence , Cross-Sectional Studies , Choroid Plexus/pathology , Age Factors , Multicenter Study , Iraq/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Objective@#To summarize the incidence, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of basal cell nevus syndrome and to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. @*Methods @# Retrospective analysis of 4 cases of basal cell nevus syndrome admitted to the General Hospital of PLA during January 2017 to January 2018 and recent cases reported in the literature.@* Results@#In this study, 1 males and 3 females were included. The patients included a mother and her child. All 4 cases were surgically resected. Pathological reports included all keratocysts of the jaws. There has been no recurrence since follow-up. Through literature summarization and analysis, the clinical manifestations of this syndrome were found to be diverse. Typical clinical manifestations include multiple keratocysts of the jaws, multiple blepharospasms or cancers, deformities of the spine or ribs, increased brachial distance, eye diseases or special face intracranial calcification.@*Conclusion @#Basal cell nevus syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder. The clinical manifestations are diverse and the diagnosis is often overlooked. The incidence of cysts in the jaws is one of the important clinical manifestations of this syndrome. Early diagnosis and proper treatment improve patient survival and quality of life.
ABSTRACT
@#Fahr’s Disease (FD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder of uncertain etiology characterized by abnormal intracranial calcium deposition in the basal ganglia. It initially presents in the 4th to 6th decade of life with diverse neuropsychiatric manifestations. The correlation between vascular calcifi cation and coronary artery disease had been studied extensively, but its correlation with cerebrovascular disease remains elusive. Vascular calcifi cation is thus an important risk factor for coronary artery disease. It was also postulated that a similar risk for cerebrovascular disease may be attributable to intracranial vascular calcifi cation. We present the case of a 46-year-old male with progressive affective and cognitive disturbances, parkinsonism and ataxia. Eight years after initial presentation, he developed an acute ischemic infarct in the background of diffuse intracranial calcifi cation characteristic of FD, confi rmed by neuroimaging (Figure 1). While a number of cases FD with associated stroke or stroke-like symptoms have been reported, we are unaware of such occurrence in a Filipino. A pathologic model linking intracranial vascular calcifi cation in FD with cerebrovascular disease and ischemic stroke has been proposed, and warrants further investigation.
Subject(s)
Stroke , Cerebrovascular DisordersABSTRACT
External ventricular drainage (EVD) is a common procedure performed in neurosurgical field. The purpose of this study was to introduce the linear intracranial calcification formed along EVD tract and to investigate its incidence, predisposing factors, and clinical impact. A total of 59 patients who underwent EVD insertion over a 1-year period were included in this study. The clinical factors and radiographic features between the occurrence and the non-occurrence groups were analyzed to investigate the predisposing factors and clinical impact related to the linear intracranial calcification in EVD tract. The linear intracranial calcification following EVD insertion occurred in 7 patients (11.9%). Among various risk factors assessed, only usage of bone dust (p =0.003) had contributed to linear intracranial calcification with statistical significance in univariate logistic regression analysis. Housefield unit (HU) scale was different between calcification (872.57 ± 46.15 HU) and EVD catheter (169.00 ± 61.35 HU). This study indicates that using bone dust for sealing a burr hole is the only predisposing factor for linear intracranial calcification formed in EVD tract.
Subject(s)
Humans , Catheters , Causality , Drainage , Dust , Incidence , Logistic Models , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Background: Fahr’s syndrome (or Fahr’s disease) is a rare idiopathic degenerative disorder, characterized by bilateral symmetrical intracranial calcification and manifested as movement disorders, dementia and other behavioural disturbances. Case description: A 50-year-old male with long standing seizure disorder with intact motor and cognitive function presented with behavioural disturbances. Brain CT showed symmetrical calcification in cerebral hemispheres involving caudate nucleus, internal capsule, adjoining area and cerebellum. The history, clinical and radiological features and exclusion of other possibilities in our case point towards this uncommon disorder. Discussion: A substantial number of patients with Fahr‘s disease present with behavioural disturbances. Usually late onset Fahr’s disease with behavioural disturbances is accompanied by cognitive and motor abnormalities. However, in our case no such neurocognitive abnormalities were found along with the behavioural disturbances in the form of psychosis inspite of widespread intracranial calcification. Conclusion: Psychosis may be the sole presentation in a case of late onset Fahr‘s disease. Key message: Psychiatrist and Neurologist should remain vigilant regarding this uncommon presentation of this degenerative disease.
ABSTRACT
Sturge-weber syndrome is a disease characterized by capillary or cavernous haemangionsm (Port-wine stain) along the cutaneous division of Trigennial nerve. There is venous haemangionsm in subjacent leptomeninges, which may spread causing atrophy of cortex. The patient Md. Zobair Hossain, 11 years old boy, nondiabetic, nonhypertensive presented to us on 20.05.2011 with the complaints of repeated bleeding from a swelling over the outer aspect of right eye ball for 1 month, weakness of left half of body for 1 year and repeated convulsion for 7 years. Diagnosis was confirmed vy CT scan of brain. Through treatment is unsatisfactory, he was advised for laser theraphy for coetaneous lesion and anti-convulsant drug epilepsy.
ABSTRACT
The authors present a case of multiple intracranial calcifications after the procedure of external ventricular drain placement in a 50-year-old man with pericallosal artery aneurysm. We believe that calcifications formed dust that had fallen into the track during the external ventricular drain procedure. The clinical features and radiological findings are presented with review of literature.
Subject(s)
Humans , Middle Aged , Aneurysm , Arteries , Dust , Track and FieldABSTRACT
Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is frequeutly associated with intracranial calcification and neuropsychiatric abnormalities. The most commonly recognized central nervous system manifestations of chronic hypoparathyroidism are seizure, alteration of mental function and extrapyramidal signs. We present a care of hypoparathyroidism, demonstrating extensive intracranial calcification, not only basal ganglia, but also outside the extrapyramidal system. An 58-year-old woman presented with 30 year history of seizure and memory disturbance. The physical examination and several laboratory studies disclosed normal. However hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia with hypocalciuria and decreased parathormone level were demonstrated. Clinical symptoms and signs showed improvement after supplementary calcium and Vit D3 therapy.
Subject(s)
Female , HumansABSTRACT
The authors present a case of Fahr's disease which is characterized by idiopathic symmetrical calcifications in the basal ganglia and the dentate nuclei. Computerized tomographic scans of the brain demonstrated bilateral calcified lesions recognized in the region of the dentate nuclei of both cerebellar hemispheres and the basal ganglia. A review of the literature on several cases of intracranial ferrocalcinosis is presented.