Cerebellar atrophy attributed to cerebellitis in two patients

Abstract

In a review of magnetic resonance (MR) images from patients with spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD), we found 2 rare patients considered to be in late-stage cerebellitis who showed isolated cerebellar atrophy. The patients were negative for the spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) genes and had no symptoms of hypothyroidism, history of malignant tumors, or history of alcohol and drug (phenytoin) abuse, which may cause cerebellar atrophy. MR images demonstrated generalized atrophy of the cerebellum, excluding the brainstem or cerebrum. In these cases, moreover, slightly high intensities were noted in the affected cerebellar cortices on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. The distribution of widening of the folia and cortical high intensities on FLAIR images might be important clues with which to diagnose late-stage cerebellitis.