Central nervous system involvement in systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis is a connective disease usually known to spare the central nervous system. This has been much debated by recent imaging studies. We report a 56-year-old woman followed-up for systemic sclerosis since 2005. Four years later, she presented with cerebellar and pyramidal syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging showed signs of cerebral vasculitis. The patient was treated by corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide pulses followed by azathioprine for maintenance therapy. Clinical and radiological outcomes were favourable. In patients with systemic sclerosis and neurological symptoms, abnormalities in the cerebral magnetic resonance imaging may, in the absence of another obvious etiology, indicate a central nervous system involvement associated with this systemic disorder.