Basal ganglia infarction after mild head trauma in pediatric patients with basal ganglia calcification

Incidence rate of basal ganglia infarction (BGI) after mild head trauma was reported higher in children with basal ganglia calcification (BGC). We would like to review patients with BGC showed in head CT scan to see the incidence rate of stroke in these patients and the correlation of variables in these cases.

CT imaging data of cases with diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in a large tertiary pediatric center between Mar. 2014 and Mar. 2019 was retrospectively reviewed. Cases with findings of punctate calcification in the region of basal ganglion in CT scan were included. Correlation of variables of these cases (age, side and volume of basal ganglion calcification) with the diagnosis of BGI was the focus of this study.

37 patients (26 males, 9 females, median age: 3.88±3.54) were included in this study. 17 cases (45.9 %) were diagnosed of BGI and were admitted into the department of neurosurgery. Altogether 63 sides of BGC were categorized into two groups based on whether BGI happened and ROC curve was drawn. ROC curve showed when the cut-off point was 6.55 mm3, the sensitivity was 88.9 % and the specificity was 87.5 %; the area under curve was 0.849 (p<0.01). All the cases were divided into two groups according to whether basal ganglia infarction occurred or not. Mann-Whitney U test showed significant difference between these two groups in age (p=0.01). ROC curve of how age affect BGI after mTBI were drawn. The cut-off point was 3.25 years, and the sensitivity was 65.0 % and the specificity was 88.2 %; the area under curve was 0.746 (p=0.01). All patients received conservative treatment and recovered.

Incidence rate is higher in children with BGC after mild head injury than that of other children. Larger BGC volume indicates higher risk of developing infarction after minor head injury. Older children with BGC are less-likely getting BGI after mTBI.