Normal intracranial calcifications can be defined as all age-related physiologic and neurodegenerative calcifications that are unaccompanied by any evidence of disease and have no demonstrable pathological cause.
The most common sites include:
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seen in 2/3 of the adult population and increases with age 1
calcification over 1 cm in diameter or in patients under nine years of age may be suggestive of a neoplasm
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it has a central role in the regulation of the limbic system and is often calcified with a curvilinear pattern a few millimeters anterior to the pineal body in 15% of the adult population 1
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a very common finding, usually in the atrial portions of the lateral ventricles (choroid glomus) 1
calcification in the third or fourth ventricle or in patients less than nine years of age is uncommon
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most commonly in the globi pallidi
are usually incidental idiopathic findings that have an incidence of ~1% (range 0.3-1.5%) and increase with age 1
usually, demonstrate a faint punctate or a coarse conglomerated symmetrical calcification pattern
see basal ganglia calcification for specific differential
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falx, dura mater or tentorium cerebelli
occur in ~10% of the elderly population 1
dural and tentorial calcifications are usually seen in a laminar pattern and can occur anywhere within the cranium
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common age-related degeneration sites and usually have laminar or mildly nodular patterns 1
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common age-related degeneration sites; usually have laminar or mildly nodular patterns 1
dentate nuclei of cerebellum 1
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usually calcify along the skull vault, along the superior longitudinal venous sinuses
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calcifications are usually seen in the elderly
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sclerae 6
usually seen in the elderly
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