The "starry night" (diffuse microcalcific myopathy) - thousands of muscle microcalcifications after 30 years of Trichinella infection detected by ultrasound.

Abstract

Trichinellosis, a parasitosis transmitted through consumption of raw or undercooked meat from pigs and game animals, is responsible for a specific myositis. The calcifications of infected myocytes and larva can be detected during many years postin-fection. We present the case of a male patient with a history of severe trichinellosis with disease onset 30 years ago, presenting with generalized muscle microcalcifications detected during musculoskeletal ultrasound evaluation. The ultrasound aspect of the muscles was indeed spectacular; hence, the comparison with a "starry night".