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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Vertigo And Basal Ganglia Calcification In A 89 Year Old?

Hi, may I answer your health queries right now ? Please type your query here... Hi, I am Lorna from Namibia. My Mum of 89 has recently had a brain scan and the radiologist's comment reads as follows, "There are age-appropriate changes noted within the brain that include prominence of the CSP spaces and features of chronic microvascular deep white matter ischaemia. There is also left-sided basal ganglia calcification. The rest of this MRI brain is essentially within normal limits." The whole things sounds awful, yet I'm told by friends I should not be worried about her. Is this serious? She had the scan as she has bad periods of vertigo, sometimes with nausea. She has already collapsed twice, fortunately both times when I was near to her. The doctor was thinking that she could have had a mild stroke, thus the brain scan.
Tue, 30 Dec 2014
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello and thanks for your question. It is very common for 89 year olds to have some shrinkage of the brain tissue. This would be the cause for the prominence of CSP spaces. When there brain is smaller there are more prominent cerebrospinal fluid spaces. The microvascular deep white matter ischemia is due to blockages in the blood flow to the brain tissue, similar to a stroke. Calcifications are also due to blockages from episodes like a stroke. These findings are very common in people over 80 years old. They may or may not be the cause of her symptoms (vertigo, dizziness, collapse). The best you can do for her is to make sure she sees a doctor regularly, takes medication as prescribed, eats a healthy diet and does some exercise daily if she is able. I hope she has many more years of good health.
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What Causes Vertigo And Basal Ganglia Calcification In A 89 Year Old?

Hello and thanks for your question. It is very common for 89 year olds to have some shrinkage of the brain tissue. This would be the cause for the prominence of CSP spaces. When there brain is smaller there are more prominent cerebrospinal fluid spaces. The microvascular deep white matter ischemia is due to blockages in the blood flow to the brain tissue, similar to a stroke. Calcifications are also due to blockages from episodes like a stroke. These findings are very common in people over 80 years old. They may or may not be the cause of her symptoms (vertigo, dizziness, collapse). The best you can do for her is to make sure she sees a doctor regularly, takes medication as prescribed, eats a healthy diet and does some exercise daily if she is able. I hope she has many more years of good health.