title: Clinical and CT scan assessment of benign versus fatal spontaneous cerebellar haematomas.
abstract: We have studied 15 cases of spontaneous intracerebellar haematomas in 9 males and 6 females. A significant correlation between the clinical presentation and the CT scan features of benign and fatal haemorrhages of the cerebellum is presented. Diagnostic computerized tomographic studies were performed in a mean interval of 31 hours after the initial symptoms. 60% were diagnosed and treated in less than 24 hours; 11 patients had haematomas larger than 3 cm, and 5 (45%) of these cases died with evidence of irreversible brain-stem damage. Twelve (80%) showed compression of the fourth ventricle, 9 (60%) obliteration of the brain-stem cisterns and 8 (53%) ventricular dilatation. 8 cases were treated with surgery; 50% of them showed neurological improvement, including two cases with signs of brain-stem compression. 7 patients who were treated conservatively were followed closely with repeated CT scans, which showed that resolution of the mass effect and isodensity of the haematomas larger than 3 cm (73%), hydrocephalus (45%) and intraventricular haemorrhage (40%). Smaller haematomas without CT scan evidence of obliteration of the brain-stem cisterns or hydrocephalus had a better outcome.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed