Calcifying arteriopathy in the basal ganglia in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Echogenic stripes in the basal ganglia were identified sonographically in a 4-month-old infant with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This lenticulostriate arteriopathy correlated well with histologically identified early alterations of HIV encephalopathy in children. At 3 years and 5 months, CT examination performed after three seizures showed calcification in the area of the sonographically affected arteries but no signs of progressive encephalopathy. The child's mental and motor development have remained normal until now. Cerebral sonography performed in early infancy may allow identification of HIV encephalopathy even before its clinical manifestation.