Serpiginous cranial arterial calcification in uremia

A 65-year-old man with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis presented with a subcortical stroke. Unenhanced CT scan of the brain revealed widespread arterial calcification, notably involving the carotid siphons (figure 1) and external carotid artery branches (figure 2, A and B). Vascular calcification in CKD closely resembles ossification, and may involve the intima (as in atherosclerosis) or more commonly the media.1 Both patterns of calcification are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, though no specific treatment has been shown to modify this risk.2 This example is particularly striking for the serpiginous appearance of the affected arteries.

Source: Neurology - October 2, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Shamy, M. C., Yogendrakumar, V., Iancu, D., Bourque, P. R. Tags: CT, All Medical/Systemic disease, All Cerebrovascular disease/Stroke NEUROIMAGES Source Type: research