Supratentorial Atrophy Research Articles

CEREBELLAR ATROPHY DEMONSTRATED BY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

We studied 55 cases of cerebellar atrophy identified by computerized tomography. Atrophy was determined by subjective assessment and objective measurements (superior cerebellar cistern, fourth ventricle, and brainstem). Different patterns of cerebellar atrophy were related to clinical diagnoses. A high incidence of vermal atrophy was observed in primary cerebellar degeneration and chronic alcoholism. More than half the patients with alcoholism had hemispheral atrophy. Vermal atrophy and enlargement of superior cerebellar cisterns (but not hemispheral atrophy) were associated with carcinomatous cerebellar degeneration. Atrophy caused by chronic phenytoin usage showed a specific pattern of enlargement of the cisterna magna, cerebellopontine angle, and superior cerebellar cisterns. Supratentorial atrophy was increased significantly only in the alcoholics. In general, limb ataxia, dysarthria, and nystagmus were related to hemispheral but not to vermal atrophy.

Cerebellar atrophy demonstrated by computed tomography.

We studied 55 cases of cerebellar atrophy identified by computerized tomography. Atrophy was determined by subjective assessment and objective measurements (superior cerebellar cistern, fourth ventricle, and brainstem). Different patterns of cerebellar atrophy were related to clinical diagnoses. A high incidence of vermal atrophy was observed in primary cerebellar degeneration and chronic alcoholism. More than half the patients with alcoholism had hemispheral atrophy. Vermal atrophy and enlargement of superior cerebellar cisterns (but not hemispheral atrophy) were associated with carcinomatous cerebellar degeneration. Atrophy caused by chronic phenytoin usage showed a specific pattern of enlargement of the cisterna magna, cerebellopontine angle, and superior cerebellar cisterns. Supratentorial atrophy was increased significantly only in the alcoholics. In general, limb ataxia, dysarthria, and nystagmus were related to hemispheral but not to vermal atrophy.

Cerebellar atrophy demonstrated by computed tomography

We studied 55 cases of cerebellar atrophy identified by computerized tomography. Atrophy was determined by subjective assessment and objective measurements (superior cerebellar cistern, fourth ventricle, and brainstem). Different patterns of cerebellar atrophy were related to clinical diagnoses. A high incidence of vermal atrophy was observed in primary cerebellar degeneration and chronic alcoholism. More than half the patients with alcoholism had hemispheral atrophy. Vermal atrophy and enlargement of superior cerebellar cisterns (but not hemispheral atrophy) were associated with carcinomatous cerebellar degeneration. Atrophy caused by chronic phenytoin usage showed a specific pattern of enlargement of the cisterna magna, cerebellopontine angle, and superior cerebellar cisterns. Supratentorial atrophy was increased significantly only in the alcoholics. In general, limb ataxia, dysarthria, and nystagmus were related to hemispheral but not to vermal atrophy.

Late computed tomography in survivors of severe head injury.

Ninety-seven of a consecutive series of 225 head-injured patients who were in coma for at least 6 hours survived for 12 months or more. Seventy-nine underwent computed tomography (CT) 1 to 4 years after the injury. Ct findings such as infratentorial and focal and diffuse supratentorial atrophy were correlated with overall social outcome, persistent neurological deficit, operations, and prognostic features. Coma lasting longer than 24 hours, ataxia, and severe disability show a high correlation with infratentorial atrophy, alone or in combination with supratentorial atrophy. Patients who came out of coma within 24 hours after injury and those who ultimately recovered well usually had a normal CT scan or focal supratentorial atrophy only. Most patients who had undergone operation for space-occupying extra- or intradural hematomas or contusions had focal atrophy on the operated side.

Computed tomography in hereditary ataxias.

Cranial CT in 39 patients (23 belonged to 8 families) with four different groups of hereditary ataxia (HA) showed mainly three combinations of atrophic findings: (1) cerebellar ataxia (CA, n = 17) had marked atrophy of the cerebellum and/or the brain stem combined with moderate cerebral atrophy; (2) an intermediate group consisting of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP, n = 10) and Friedreich's ataxia (FA, n = 7), both with moderate infra- and supratentorial atrophy; (3) atrophy was hardly demonstrated in the group of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT, n = 5). HA cases with atrophy could be distinguished from multiple sclerosis (MS) by CT.