Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements (Dec 2018)
“Spooning”: A Subtle Sign of Limb Dystonia
Abstract
Background: The diagnosis of dystonia can be clinically challenging due to its heterogeneous presentation; essential tremor (ET) is a more common neurological disorder, but may be mimicked by other movement disorders, including dystonia, leading to misdiagnosis. Phenomenology Shown: In three patients with hand tremor, two with prior diagnoses of ET, we present examples of “spooning” of the hands, characterized by wrist flexion and metacarpophalangeal hyperextension. Educational value: Subtle dystonic features such as “spooning” may be present during the evaluation of patients with tremor and aid in the diagnosis of dystonia.
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