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Brain calcification in patients with cerebral lupus
A A Raymond1, A A Zariah, S A Samad
1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Lupus
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Cerebral lupus (CL) can cause brain abnormalities like atrophy and infarcts in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients. Intracerebral calcification, particularly in the basal ganglia, is a notable finding in CL, warranting its inclusion in differential diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Cerebral lupus (CL) is a significant cause of neurological complications in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
- Understanding the neuroimaging findings in CL is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review brain CT findings in adult patients with SLE presenting with neurological symptoms.
- To characterize the types and prevalence of brain abnormalities, including intracerebral calcification, in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of brain CT scans from 27 adult SLE patients with neurological presentations.
- Categorization of CT abnormalities into cerebral atrophy, calcification, infarcts, and combinations thereof.
Main Results:
- 41% of patients had normal CT scans.
- Abnormalities included cerebral atrophy, calcification, and infarcts.
- 30% of patients exhibited intracerebral calcification, predominantly in the globus pallidus, with no correlation to age or symptom duration.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral lupus can manifest with diverse neuroimaging findings, including atrophy, infarcts, and calcifications.
- Intracerebral calcification, especially in the basal ganglia, is a key feature in some CL patients.
- Cerebral lupus should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients with intracerebral calcification.