Mousa A M, Muhtaseb S A, Reddy R R, Senthilselvan A, Al-Mudallal D S, Marafie A A
Al-Adan Hospital, Department of Biostatistics, Kurwait University.
Acta Neurol Scand. 1987 Dec;76(6):448-56. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1987.tb03601.x.
Of 65 cases presenting with neuropsychiatric manifestations of brucellosis (CNS-brucellosis), 9(13.8%) had CT-detected basal ganglia calcification (BGC). Of these, 5 had meningitis and 4 had psychiatric manifestations as presenting features. The diagnosis of brucellosis was made by the finding of consistent history and physical findings and the presence of significantly elevated antibody titres and/or positive culture in the blood and/or CSF. In all the cases, BGC was in the form of punctate hyperdense non-enhancing shadows with average density 44.5-58.4 and maximum density 49-64HU. The calcification was unilateral in 3 cases, bilateral and symmetrical in 4 and bilateral but asymmetrical in 2. None of the cases had other predisposing conditions to BGC and in one of the cases did specific anti-brucella treatment effect a detectable change in the BGC. The finding of CT-detected BGC in patients coming from areas endemic for brucellosis should alert physicians to the possibility of underlying brucellar infection.
