Abstract
Background and objective
We wished to determine the pattern of cerebellar disease in children with a history of premature birth and early ultrasound evidence of intraventricular haemorrhage and/or parenchymal lesions of the cerebral hemispheres.
Materials and methods
MRI findings for all premature infants examined in a 3-year period (73 patients) were reviewed to determine the nature and frequency of lesions of the cerebellum and the results were correlated with clinical data.
Results
Six cases of unilateral cerebellar infarction were identified. These involved the posterior inferior cerebellar territory in each case (as well as other territories in two cases). A case of generalised cerebellar atrophy and three cases of unilateral cerebellar hemisphere atrophy were identified as well. In nine of these ten cases abnormalities were also seen elsewhere in the brain.
Conclusion
The literature describes cerebellar infarction in infants and children as rare, but this study shows that it is not unusual following perinatal haemorrhagic/ischaemic anoxic injury. It is suggested that cerebellar atrophy may also occur as a result of vascular disease.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rosman NP, Wu JK, Caplan LR (1992) Cerebellar infarction in the young. Stroke 23: 763–766
Chatkupt S, Epstein LG, Rappaport R, Koenigsberger MR (1987) Cerebellar infarction in children. Pediatr Neurol 3: 363–368
Ouvrier RA, Hopkins IJ (1970) Occlusive disease of the vertebro-basilar arterial system in childhood. Dev Med Child Neurol 12: 186–192
Amarenco P (1991) The spectrum of cerebellar infarctions. Neurology 41: 973–979
Barth A, Bogousslavsky J, Regli F (1993) The clinical and topographic spectrum of cerebellar infarcts: a clinical magnetic resonance imaging correlation study. Ann Neurol 33: 451–456
Riela AR, Roach ES (1993) Etiology of stroke in children. J Child Neurol 8: 201–220
Sarnat HB, Alcala H (1980) Human cerebellar hypoplasia. A syndrome of diverse causes. Arch Neurol 37: 300–305
Rosman NP, Schapiro MB, Wolf PA (1978) Sclerotic atrophy of the cerebellum: a clinicopathological survey. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 37: 174–191
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mercuri, E., He, J., Curati, W.L. et al. Cerebellar infarction and atrophy in infants and children with a history of premature birth. Pediatr Radiol 27, 139–143 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002470050085
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002470050085