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Falx “calcification” — Does this exist?

La ‘calcification” de la faux existe-t-elle?

Falxverkalkungen — existieren sie überhaupt?

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Summary

In discussing mineralization of the falx cerebri many radiology textbooks use the term calcification and make no mention of ossification. A retrospective study of 18 consecutive autopsy cases, in which skull radiographs had revealed mineralization of the falx, was undertaken. These areas of mineralization were excised and submitted for histological evaluation. The density seen on the skull radiograph consisted of membranous bone complete with bone marrow elements in all cases. Two cases had metastatic deposits in the ossified falx and one case showed leukemic infiltration. Some aspects of the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in calcification of the falx are discussed.

Résumé

Lorsqu'ils parlent des dépôts opaques dans la faux du cerveau, beaucoup d'auteurs utilisaient le terme de calcification et ne font pas mention d'ossification. L'étude de 18 cas autopsiés de sujets présentatant un dépôt radio-opaque au niveau de la faux et leur examen histologique a montré qu'il s'agit d'ossification membraneuse. Dans deux cas les auteurs ont trouvé une métastase au niveau de l'ossification de la faux et dans un cas une infiltration leucémique.

Zusammenfassung

Oftmals wird in radiologischen Lehrbüchern der Ausdruck “Falxverkalkung” gebraucht und von einer Verknöcherung keine Notiz genommen. Die Verfasser führten bei 18 Autopsie-Fällen mit “Falxverkalkung” histologische Untersuchungen durch. Dabei zeigte es sich, daß es sich um Verknöcherungen der Falx handelt. Die Gesichtspunkte der Pathogenese dieser Falxverknöcherung werden diskutiert.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA

    S. Batnitzky, J. M. Powers & M. M. Schechter

  2. Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA

    S. Batnitzky, J. M. Powers & M. M. Schechter

Authors
  1. S. Batnitzky
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  2. J. M. Powers
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  3. M. M. Schechter
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Additional information

This work was supported in part by a Special Fellowship Award # 2F11 NS 2576-02, NSRB, from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, U.S. Public Health Service.

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Batnitzky, S., Powers, J.M. & Schechter, M.M. Falx “calcification” — Does this exist?. Neuroradiology 7, 255–260 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00344244

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