Parry romberg syndrome: 7 cases and literature review

Abstract

Parry Romberg syndrome is a rare progressive hemiatrophy of the face that typically occurs in children and young adults and has a peculiar progression that ceases without apparent cause after a highly variable period. Only a subset of patients with Parry Romberg syndrome will develop secondary neurologic or ophthalmologic symptoms, and prognosis is highly variable. Inconsistency in the pattern of atrophy and the development of associated symptoms in patients with Parry Romberg syndrome has made it challenging to diagnose, prognosticate, and treat. The precise etiology of this disease remains unknown, but some authors have implicated sympathetic cervical ganglion dysfunction, abnormal embryogenesis, autoimmune and inflammatory mechanisms, or vasculopathy as potential causes. We present 7 cases of Parry Romberg syndrome and their associated clinical and imaging findings with specific attention to the radiographic characteristics of this disease.