Hemichorea-hemiballism: a case report

Pract Neurol. 2015 Jun;15(3):222-3. doi: 10.1136/practneurol-2014-001063. Epub 2015 Feb 24.

Abstract

A 55-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes mellitus presented with abnormal left-sided movements of her arm and leg. Her initial CT scan of head showed a hyperintensity in the right basal ganglia. A 3 T MR scan of brain showed changes consistent with right basal ganglia haemorrhage. We diagnosed hemichorea-hemiballism syndrome. We treated her movement disorder with tetrabenazine and sulpiride and improved her glucose control. After 4 months, she still has mildly abnormal left-sided movements but can function independently again. In this article, we discuss her imaging and review the literature on hemichorea-hemiballism.

Keywords: basal ganglia; hemiballism; hemichorea.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Brain / pathology*
  • Chorea / complications*
  • Dyskinesias / complications*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed