[Calcification of basal nuclei of the brain. Anatomo-pathological study of 4 cases]

The paper reports the pathological study of 4 autopsied cases of massive basal ganglia calcifications, an entity that although related to hypoparathyroidism or pseudohypoparathyroidism, sometimes can be considered as idiopathic. In our cases no metabolic disturb or any common related disease could be found in association. Interesting is to point out that the lesion is confined to the central nervous system, with no foci of calcification outside the brain. There is a characteristic perivascular distribution of the deposits that, as demonstrated by histochemical study are composed by iron besides calcium.