Aim: To gain further insight into the pathogenesis of Parry-Romberg syndrome, a sporadic disease of unknown aetiology characterized by progressive wasting of one side of the face.
Method: Cranial MRI was performed in 10 patients with Parry-Romberg syndrome. The central nervous system findings are correlated to clinical findings and a review of the literature.
Results: Three patients with a history of migraine had abnormal brain findings confined to the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to the facial hemiatrophy. Two patients without CNS symptoms had intracranial changes, one ipsilateral, the other both ipsilateral and contralateral to the facial hemiatrophy, on MRI. These changes consisted of either intracerebral atrophy or white matter hyperintensity. Five patients without CNS symptoms had no pathological intracranial MRI appearances.
Conclusion: A significant number of patients with Parry-Romberg syndrome may have underlying brain involvement. These findings are consistent with previous reports.