Common and uncommon neuroimaging manifestations of ataxia: an illustrated guide for the trainee radiologist. Part 2 - neoplastic, congenital, degenerative, and hereditary diseases

Abstract

Ataxia is defined as a lack of coordination of voluntary movement, caused by a variety of factors. Ataxia can be classified by the age at onset and type (chronic or acute). The causative lesions involve the cerebellum and cerebellar connections. The correct, appropriate use of neuroimaging, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, can make the diagnosis relatively straightforward and facilitate implementation of the appropriate clinical management. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to describe the imaging findings of ataxia, based on cases obtained from the archives of a tertiary care hospital, with a review of the most important findings. We also discuss and review the imaging aspects of neoplastic diseases, malformations, degenerative diseases, and hereditary diseases related to ataxia.

Human-Level Differentiation of Medulloblastoma from Pilocytic Astrocytoma: A Real-World Multicenter Pilot Study

“…Intralesional cysts can be found. MR spectroscopy can depict a high choline peak at 3.2 ppm and a taurine peak at 3.4 ppm [5][6][7]. Nevertheless, especially in very young children, atypical localizations for the respective tumor subtype and in the relapse/recurrence situation, imaging features might be less distinct, and neuropathological diagnosis following neurosurgical interventions remains the mainstay of diagnosis.…”

Keeping our balance in cerebellar ataxia: the contribution of neuroimaging to clinical investigation

“…The pictorial essays authored by Jarry et al (19,20) , published in the previous issue of Radiologia Brasileira, provide http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0100-3984.2022.55.5e2 Editorial a valuable illustrated guide of common and uncommon neuroimaging manifestations of ataxia for radiology trainees. The authors reviewed the archives of a tertiary care hospital in Brazil and depicted acquired conditions and neurodegenerative causes of ataxia observed in this population.…”

“…Such conditions include infections (tuberculosis, cryptococcosis, and an atypical presentation of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy), vascular complications (stroke and venous thrombosis), inflammatory diseases (neuro-Behçet’s disease), intoxication (with phenytoin), neoplasms (Lhermitte-Duclos disease, medulloblastoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, and ependymoma), and malformations (Dandy-Walker malformation). Finally, the authors depict the characteristic imaging features of three degenerative disorders ( 19 , 20 ) : progressive ataxia and palatal tremor; Friedreich’s ataxia; and Machado-Joseph disease. By exemplifying some of the most relevant neuroimaging findings related to ataxic symptoms, these essays could help radiologists exclude acquired disorders and narrow the differential diagnosis of hereditary cerebellar ataxia.…”