Diffuse soft tissue calcifications (calcinosis cutis) in a patient with discoid lupus erythematosus

Soft tissue calcification is known to occur in dermatomyositis, systemic scleroderma and CREST syndrome, but rarely in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Diffuse soft tissue calcifications have not been reported in discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). In a patient with discoid lupus erythematosus, calcinosis cutis developed about 20 years after the onset of the disease. During the follow-up time of 25 years, manifestations suggestive of a systemic disease were observed in our patient. However, no specific diagnosis could be established. The clinical, light and electron microscopic as well as immunohistochemical findings of our patient are reported. On the basis of electron microscopic findings it is suggested that intracellular calcification occurred in this case.