[Cutis verticis gyrata as an early rare presenting sign of acromegaly]

Abstract

Cutis verticis gyrata (CVG) is a descriptive term for a dermal sign in which deep furrows and convoluted ridges are seen upon the scalp. They are formed due to thickening of the skin folds of the scalp and produce an appearance that resembles the gyri of the brain. The condition is classified primary when the etiology is unknown or neurologically based. CVG will be considered secondary when a definite cause, systemic or localized, is responsible for the sign. We describe a 34 year-old male who was presented with a one-month history of arthralgia in his interphalangeal joints. His physical examination revealed scalp changes compatible with CVG, which appeared 3 years earlier. Following a thorough investigation of the patient, acromegaly was diagnosed. Although CVG is a rare condition, it has been described in patients with acromegaly. The appearance of SVG as an early sign of acromegaly makes this case unique and important. In a patient developing CVG, acromegaly and other treatable disorders should always be excluded.