Evaluation of intracranial physiological calcifications in Computed Tomography

Abstract

Introduction: Intracranial physiological calcifications are not related to any pathological conditions, rather they are due to the normal deposition of calcium or iron in the different parts of the brain. Computed Tomography (CT) scan is superior to all other modalities in terms of sensitivity in the detection of intracranial physiological calcifications. The objective of the study was to evaluate the frequency and location of intracranial physiological calcifications and also study them according to age and gender.
 Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study with a purposive sampling technique was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021 at the Department of Radiology and Imaging. CT scan images of every age group were reviewed from the base of the skull to the vertex excluding images with intracranial pathologies, injuries, artifacts, contrast enhancement and the patients with follow-up scans. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive analysis was primarily preferred accompanied by inferential statistics.
 Results: Out of 412 patients, 60.7% were male and the mean age was 41.16 ±19.915 years. The total number of calcifications was 795. 92.8% of patients showed calcifications. Males had a higher number of calcifications. The highest number of calcifications was seen in the age group 20-30. The highest calcification was seen in the pineal gland (76%) followed by the choroid plexus (70.4%) and the lowest in the caudate nucleus (0.38%). The earliest age of calcification was 8 years. There was a significant relationship between the increase in age and the increase in calcification (p<0.05). There was also a significant difference between male and female calcifications (p<0.05).
 Conclusion: This study can be useful for clinicians to differentiate normal physiological intracranial calcifications from pathological calcification which will reduce misinterpretation of the calcifications.