Pseudomigraine with prolonged aphasia in a child with cranial irradiation for medulloblastoma.
We report a 12-year-old child with episodes of migraine-like headaches with visual and motor auras a year after the surgical resection and radiation therapy for medulloblastoma The patient presented with an episode of headache, prolonged aphasia, right hemiparesis, status epilepticus, and salt wasting. There was no evidence of a structural lesion. The neurologic deficits resolved over a period of 6 weeks. Because of the progressive deterioration in neurologic deficits, the patient underwent an extensive battery of laboratory tests and multiple neuroimages, all of which were normal. The unusually prolonged neurologic deficit in this patient without demonstrable structural lesions and his eventual complete recovery were most likely caused by ischemia in the left hemisphere secondary to vasospasm. This presentation mimics migraine headache. Evidence suggesting that this represents a long-term complication of treatment of children with central nervous system neoplasia is presented.
Murthy
S N Krishna
SN
Department of Neurology, SUNY/Buffalo, Children's Hospital of Buffalo, New York 14222, USA. mecohen@acsu.buffalo.edu
Cohen
Michael E
ME
D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012307:Risk Factors; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000150:complications