Mineralizing Angiopathy as a Rare Etiology of Pediatric Stroke: Report of Three Cases

Mineralizing angiopathy is a rare cause of arterial ischemic stroke in early childhood, typically characterized by basal ganglia infarction following minor head trauma and lenticulostriate calcifications. The underlying pathophysiology and risk factors remain poorly understood, although perinatal and postnatal brain injuries have been proposed as potential contributors.

We report three infants (aged 14 to 38 months) who developed basal ganglia infarction after minor head trauma. Clinical presentation, neuroimaging findings, treatment, and follow-up data were retrospectively reviewed.

Brain computed tomography demonstrated lenticulostriate calcifications in all three patients, supporting the diagnosis of mineralizing angiopathy. All children received acetylsalicylic acid (3 to 4 mg/kg/day). During follow-up, no patient experienced recurrent stroke. Neurological outcome was generally favorable, although one child had persistent language delay.

Mineralizing angiopathy should be considered in young children presenting with basal ganglia infarction after minor head trauma. Recognition of its characteristic neuroimaging features may facilitate diagnosis and help avoid unnecessary investigations. Although the prognosis is generally favorable, the pathophysiology and causal role of mineralizing angiopathy remain uncertain, warranting further studies.