title: A case of midbrain infarction with acute bilateral cerebellar ataxia visualized by diffusion tensor imaging.
abstract: An 85-year-old woman with hypertension was admitted with a sudden onset of gait disturbance and dysarthria. On admission, the patient showed severe bilateral cerebellar ataxia with moderate right medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) syndrome. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed an acute infarction in the lower and medial part of midbrain. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) started from both cerebellar peduncles revealed that the lesion of the acute infarction matched the decussation of superior cerebellar peduncle where crossing of tract was seen and a part of its tract was interrupted at the site. Interruption of the cerebellum red nuclear path at the medial part of midbrain was considered to be the reason for bilateral cerebellar ataxia and visualization of cerebellum red nuclear path by DTI can give better understanding of the neurological symptom.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Otaru General Hospital.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maya
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawabori
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oura
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niiya
authors.forename: Motoyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mabuchi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D065837:Middle Cerebellar Peduncle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging