Intracranial physiologic calcification investigated by computer tomography (CT) scan in different age groups

Background and Aim : intracranial physiologic calcifications have no demonstrable pathological cause. These calcifications mostly appear in certain regions such as pineal gland, habenula, choroid plexus, falx cerebri, tentorium cerebelli, petroclinoid ligament, and basal ganglia. This study was conducted to elucidate the pattern of physiologic calcification in different age groups.Methods : in this cross sectional study, non-contrast enhanced brain CT scans of 216 subjects in imaging center of Shariati hospital, Mahdasht, Alborz were examined retrospectively. Nine age groups, each group containing 24 subjects, in a study period of one year (2017-2018) were included: 1 (1-9 years old (YO)), 2 (10-19 YO), 3 (20-29 YO), 4 (30-39 YO), 5 (40-49 YO), 6 (50-59 YO), 7 (60-69 YO), 8 (70-79 YO), 9 (80-89 YO). Subjects were scanned by CT scanner, Hitachi Supria 16/32. Every subject was investigated for physiologic calcification in pineal gland, habenula, choroid plexus, falx cerebri, tentorium cerebelli, petroclinoid ligament, and basal ganglia.Results : one hundred ninety four subjects had physiologic calcification (89.81%). Calcification distribution included pineal (75%), habenula (36.36%), pineohabenula (15%), right lateral ventricle choroid plexus (67.72%), left lateral ventricle choroid plexus (62.72%), falx cerebri (26.81%), petroclinoid ligament (13.18%), tentorium cerebelli (6.81%), third ventricle choroid plexus (0.9%), fourth ventricle choroid plexus (2.72%), and basal ganglia (0.9%). In age groups of 1, 2 and 3, calcification rate (having at least one area of calcification) was 25%, 87.5%, and 95.83%, respectively. In other age groups, all the subjects had at least one area of calcification which means calcification rate of 100%.Conclusion : intracranial physiologic calcification distribution in different age groups provide a basic data about this common matter and as a clinical perspective a physician can distinguish between a common area of calcification and a pathologic calcification in a specific age group.

Keywords:

intracranial calcification , brain , computed tomography , prevalence