Calcinosis cutis universalis – a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erthyematosus

Calcinosis cutis (or skin and subcutaneous calcification) is a feature of a variety of rheumatic conditions (most commonly dermatomyositis and scleroderma), but is rarely reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE ). When calcinosis cutis does occur in patients with SLE, it tends to be localised (circumscripta) rather than generalised (universalis). We report a case of a 21-year-old woman who presented to us with a 6-year history of SLE and the rare occurrence of calcinosis cutis universalis. SA JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY February 2012