Abstract

Background: Basal ganglia ischemic stroke accounts for a significant proportion of all childhood strokes. Trauma and bilateral basal ganglia calcification are its most frequent causes. It has been found that basal ganglia calcification is in fact the manifestation of mineralizing angiopathy of lenticulostriate arteries.
Objective: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between mineral calcification in the lenticulostriate arteries and acute infarcts in Indian population of age group new-born to 12 years.
Methods: A retrospective study of 23 children with basal ganglia infarcts detected on MRI was conducted at Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical Hospital, Pune.
Results: Maximum number of patients with evidence of basal ganglia infarcts belonged to the age group of 3-6 years. There was evidence of basal ganglia calcification in 40% patients. The presence of the calcification in the lenticulostriate arteries was confirmed on CT scan. MRI brain appeared to be less reliable in detection of calcific focus in the lenticulostriate arteries. However, calcification could be appreciated on phase sequences in a few patients.
Conclusion: Our study was able to provide evidence that mineralizing angiopathy of lenticulostriate arteries has a strong association with acute infarcts in the basal ganglia region in pediatric population.