[A boy with acute cerebellar ataxia without opsoclonus caused by neuroblastoma]

Abstract

A 2-year-old boy presented with acute cerebellar ataxia without opsoclonus. The ataxia was assumed to be post-viral. After a period of years a neuroblastoma was detected. Treatment with a curative intent was successful and consisted of metaiodobenzylguanidine I 131, chemotherapy, tumour resection, chemotherapy again and follow-up treatment with isotretinoin after irradiation. In the literature, 5 other children have been described with acute cerebellar ataxia without opsoclonus in whom neuroblastoma was detected eventually. The mean age of these children at initial presentation was 26 months. The mean time between initial presentation and diagnosis ofneuroblastoma or ganglioneuroblastoma was 12 months. Urine concentrations of catecholamine metabolites were normal in 5 of the 6 total children; concentrations were elevated in 1 child. The tumour was located paravertebrally in 5 of the 6 children. Ataxia resolved following resection of the neuroblastoma in all patients. Each child with prolonged or recurrent acute cerebellar ataxia should be extensively investigated for the presence of neuroblastoma, even in the absence of opsoclonus.