Basal ganglia calcification

Basal ganglia calcification is common and is seen in approximately 1% of all CT scans of the brain, depending on the demographics of the scanned population. It is seen more frequently in older patients and is considered a normal incidental and idiopathic finding in an elderly patient but should be considered pathological in persons younger than age 40 years unless proved otherwise 5.

However, there are many causes of calcification:

idiopathic
ageing: common, globus pallidus most commonly affected
Fahr disease
toxic
carbon monoxide poisoning
lead poisoning
mineralizing microangiopathy
associated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy
radiation therapy
chemotherapy
infectious
TORCH
CNS tuberculosis
AIDS
neurocysticercosis
CNS toxoplasmosis
metabolic
parathyroid disorders
hypoparathyroidism
pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP)
pseudo-pseudohypoparathyroidism (PPH)
hyperparathyroidism
birth hypoxia
inherited
mitochondrial diseases e.g. MELAS
Cockayne syndrome
pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) (also known as Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome)


See also

basal ganglia signal abnormalities
increased T2 signal in the basal ganglia
decreased T2 signal in the basal ganglia
increased T1 signal in the basal ganglia
decreased T1 signal in the basal ganglia