Symptomatic segmental dystonia from a cavernous angioma in the centrum semiovale

We describe a 68 year-old Chinese man who presented with segmental dystonia involving the neck and right upper limb, which was exacerbated with action. EEG and MRI of the cervical spine were unremarkable, but MRI of the brain revealed a small cavernous angioma measuring one centimeter in diameter in the left centrum semiovale. The dystonia was ameliorated but not abolished with trihexyphenidyl. Arteriovenous malformations have been described to cause movement disorders, but dystonia has not previously been reported in association with cavernous angiomas. A search of the literature revealed one report of a patient with chorea arising from a cavernous angioma. This interesting case illustrates how an uncomplicated cavernous angioma can rarely cause segmental dystonia and highlights the importance of neuroimaging in patients with late-onset movement disorders.