IMAGES IN NEUROLOGY
Year : 2016  |  Volume : 11  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 86-87

Tuberculous meningitis sequelae as basal cisternal calcifications

Nagarajan Krishnan¹, Lakshminarasimhan Renganathan^2
1 Department of Radio-Diagnosis, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India
² Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurology, Madras Medical College, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Date of Web Publication

27-Apr-2016

Correspondence Address:
Nagarajan Krishnan
Department of Radio-Diagnosis, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research. (JIPMER), Puducherry
India

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None

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DOI: 10.4103/1817-1745.181260

How to cite this article: Krishnan N, Renganathan L. Tuberculous meningitis sequelae as basal cisternal calcifications. J Pediatr Neurosci 2016;11:86-7

How to cite this URL: Krishnan N, Renganathan L. Tuberculous meningitis sequelae as basal cisternal calcifications. J Pediatr Neurosci [serial online] 2016 [cited 2022 Jan 24];11:86-7. Available from: https://www.pediatricneurosciences.com/text.asp?2016/11/1/86/181260

A 10-year-old female child who was diagnosed with tubercular meningitis and underwent shunting for hydrocephalus came with the complaints of a mild headache. She had completed 18 months of antitubercular treatment. Plain computed tomography (CT) showed hyperdense basal cisternal and left Sylvian fissure calcifications obliterating the cerebrospinal fluid spaces [Figure 1] and [Figure 2]. The bilateral ventriculoperitoneal shunts were functioning well, and there was no ventricular dilatation.

Figure 1: Axial computed tomography sections at the level of basal cisterns show hyperdense calcified nodules in the regions of basal cisterns and left Sylvian fissure obliterating the cerebro-spinal fluid spaces. Mild perilesional edema is noted in the left temporal lobe Click here to view

Figure 2: Axial computed tomography section at the level of body of lateral ventricles shows shunt tubes without any ventricular dilatation Click here to view

Tuberculous meningitis classically produces basal exudates, hydrocephalus, and infarcts of arteritis, and neuroimaging using CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis. The sequelae of basal cisternal exudates seen as calcifications were noted more commonly during the preimaging era probably due to delay in diagnosis.^[1] Studies have shown that basal calcifications were noted mainly in children presenting with longer duration of symptoms (more than 10 days) before starting treatment.^[2],[3] Hence, it may be relatively less common now as empirical treatment may be instituted early in the course of the disease based on clinical, imaging, and laboratory features.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

 

References

1.	Ku BD, Yoo SD. Extensive meningeal and parenchymal calcified tuberculoma as long-term residual sequelae of tuberculous meningitis. Neurol India 2009;57:521-2.   [PUBMED]
2.	Lorber J. Ectopic ossification in tuberculous meningitis. Arch Dis Child 1953;28:98-103.
3.	Boudnik IM, Krivobokov SA. Intracranial calcification in children following tuberculous meningitis. Indian J Pediatr 1961;28:353-6.

Figures

  [Figure 1], [Figure 2]