Classification and clinical significance of intracranial calcifications: a pictorial essay

Abstract

Intracranial calcifications, which are common in the daily routine of radiologists, can have a physiological or pathological origin. Determining the cause of intracranial calcifications can represent a challenge. The anatomical location, distribution, dimensions and morphology of such calcifications are important findings, which, in conjunction with the clinical history and age group, can facilitate the differential diagnosis. The aim of this pictorial essay is to demonstrate the different types of intracranial calcifications and their origins. The images evaluated were those stored in picture archiving and communication systems. All of the cases included were studied by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or both. We identified, classified, and described 64 types of intracranial calcifications.

Echoencephalography of Möbius sequence: A congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder with brainstem calcifications

“…The prevalence of punctated tegmental calcifications in MBS patients with normal brainstem size is unknown. It is seen in case 4 and another previously reported case 64 . A normal size brainstem is seen in MBS cases due to de novo dominant missense mutations in the TUBB3 56 or KIF21A gene, 65 both genes also associated with CFEOM.…”

“…It is seen in case 4 and another previously reported case. 64 A normal size brainstem is seen in MBS cases due to de novo dominant missense mutations in the TUBB3 56 or KIF21A gene, 65 both genes also associated with CFEOM. A normal size brainstem is also reported in one case of familial MBS, homozygote for HOXA1-related disorders.…”

Intracranial mineralization as an imaging finding in Cone Beam Computed Tomography

“…Es común encontrar calcificaciones intracraneales fisiológicas en niños mayores de 5 años o en su defecto en las primeras décadas de vida (4).De forma general, la localización de estos hallazgos son: habénula, glándula pineal, plexo coroideo, la duramadre y los ganglios basales; pudiendo estar cada una de ellas en relación a alguna condición sistémica que quizás no se manifiesta aún en el paciente, siendo más frecuentes en la glándula pineal en pacientes mayores de 10 años y ganglios basales en individuos mayores de 40 años. Pueden aparecer como imágenes hiperdensas puntiformes y/o extensas, confluentes, nodulares e irregulares (5). Asimismo existen calcificaciones intracraneales congénitas y patológicas, las cuales están debidamente clasificadas por la evidencia científica especializada (1).…”

“…Es importante conocer dónde se manifiesta la mineralización intracraneal fisiológica y la edad en la que es detectable en las tomografías (4). La localización anatómica, distribución, dimensiones y morfología de tales mineralizaciones son hallazgos importantes que, en conjunto con la historia clínica y el grupo etario, pueden facilitar el diagnóstico diferencial (5).…”

Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of spinal cord lesions: what can we find? - Part 2. Inflammatory and infectious injuries

“…Countless diseases can affect this region, leading to motor, sensory, and autonomic alterations, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are essential for diagnostic elucidation and therapeutic orientation. The evaluation of the nervous system by imaging methods has been the subject of a series of recent articles in the radiology literature of Brazil ( 1 - 5 ) . In this second part of our article, the objective is to review the MRI findings of the main inflammatory and infectious spinal cord injuries.…”