Affiliations: Departments of Pediatrics, Ratzeburger Allee
Lübeck, Germany | Departments of Neuroradiology, Ratzeburger Allee
Lübeck, Germany | Departments of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Therapy
at University of Lübeck Medical School, Ratzeburger Allee Lübeck,
Germany
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. med. Christoph Härtel, Department of
Pediatrics University of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck Ratzeburger
Allee 160 D-23538 Lübeck, Germany. Tel: +49 451 500 2605; fax: +49 451 500
6064; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Chorea is characterized by abnormal hyperkinetic movements which may
be a clinical symptom in a wide array of neurological disorders. This report
describes the case of a 7-year-old boy who developed a paroxysmal, rightsided
hemichorea three weeks after a throat infection. In correlation to the clinical
findings, the area of the left putamen presented with a minimal lesion in
diffusion weighted Magnetic resonances imaging which was not further evident
two weeks later. Corresponding flour deoxy glucose positron emisson tomograpy
showed an increased glucose uptake of the left lentiform nucleus and left
frontocentral cortex. Given the serological evidence of streptococcal infection
as specific trigger, this case report illustrates not only the importance of
neuroimaging data in the differential diagnosis of chorea but also the
potential pathophysiological role of immune-mediated reactions as etiological
factor. (J Pediatr Neurol 2003; 1(2): 103–106).
