Gyriform calcification after herpes simplex virus encephalitis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Intracranial calcification is a recognized complication of various neurological conditions.
• Sturge-Weber syndrome is a neurocutaneous disorder characterized by distinctive vascular malformations and often intracranial calcification.
• Herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis is a severe brain infection that can lead to diverse neurological sequelae.

Observation:

• A rare case of a patient presenting with bilateral gyriform intracranial calcification is described.
• The calcification pattern closely simulated that typically seen in Sturge-Weber syndrome.
• The patient's history revealed a preceding episode of herpes simplex virus encephalitis.

Findings:

• Computed tomography (CT) scans demonstrated bilateral, gyriform calcification in the cerebral hemispheres.
• The calcification was attributed as a sequela of the prior HSV encephalitis.
• This specific pattern of calcification post-HSV encephalitis has not been previously reported in the literature.

Implications:

• This case expands the spectrum of known intracranial calcification patterns associated with viral encephalitis.
• Radiologists and neurologists should consider infectious etiologies, particularly HSV encephalitis, in the differential diagnosis of intracranial calcification mimicking Sturge-Weber syndrome.
• Further research may elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying gyriform calcification post-encephalitis.