Idiopathic bilateral strio-pallido-dentate calcinosis (Fahr's disease): a case report and review of the literature

• Published in: Annals of African medicine Vol. 11; no. 4; pp. 234 - 237
• Main Authors: Abubakar, Sani A, Saidu, Suleiman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01.10.2012; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Anti-Dyskinesia Agents - therapeutic use; Basal Ganglia - diagnostic imaging; Basal Ganglia Diseases - complications; Basal Ganglia Diseases - diagnosis; Basal Ganglia Diseases - drug therapy; Blood pressure; Brain; Calcinosis; Calcinosis - complications; Calcinosis - diagnosis; Calcinosis - drug therapy; Care and treatment; Case studies; Cognitive ability; Diagnosis; Disease; Fahr disease; Family medical history; Female; Haloperidol - therapeutic use; Hospitalization; Humans; Middle Aged; Movement Disorders - diagnostic imaging; Movement Disorders - drug therapy; Movement Disorders - etiology; Neurodegenerative Diseases - complications; Neurodegenerative Diseases - diagnosis; Neurodegenerative Diseases - drug therapy; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1596-3519; 0975-5764
• DOI: 10.4103/1596-3519.102855

Bilateral calcification involving the basal ganglia (Fahr's disease) is a rare disease. A high index of suspicion is required to make clinical diagnosis; more so that the calcinosis may remain asymptomatic in a vast majority of cases. Movement disorder is by far the most common manifestation in symptomatic individuals. Fahr's disease is by no means absent in our environment, and increasing availability of a computed tomography-scan machine in Nigeria may enhance the case identification of Fahr's disease. This review presents a case of bilateral strio-pallido-dentate calcification; it also affirms the fact that Fahr's disease could present with hyperkinetic movement disorder (chorea) in our setting.