Paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis and paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis in a patient with familial idiopathic hypoparathyroidism.

A patient with familial idiopathic hypoparathyroidism whose major symptoms were paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis (PKC) and paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis (PDC) was reported. CT revealed marked calcification in the basal ganglia, the thalamus and the dentate nucleus of cerebellum. Positron emission tomographic (PET) study showed decreased glucose metabolism in the basal ganglia and thalamus. The paroxysms were eliminated by the normalization of serum calcium level. Thus the paroxysms seemed to be induced by hypocalcemia which stimulated the lesions in the basal ganglia and thalamus, on one occasion, as in PKC, and on the other occasion, as in PDC. Concomitant occurrence of both PKC and PDC in a patient is unique and is of interest in considering the pathomechanisms of these different but related disorders.