"Clinical presentation "
"Radiographic features "
"The most likely explanation for cerebellar mutism syndrome is a bilateral post-surgical injury (oedema or vascular insufficiency) to any component of the proximal cerebellar pathway 1-4, which is also known as the dentate-thalamo-cortical tract 3,4. Disruption of neural circuitry along this tract can result in the cerebellar-cerebral diaschisis, which leads to dysfunction of supratentorial brain areas due to a lack of excitatory input from the cerebellum 1-4."
"T2: hyperintense signal within the superior cerebellar peduncles and dentate nuclei 3 "
"T2: hyperintense signal within the superior cerebellar peduncles and dentate nuclei 3 "
"MR tractography: may show disruption of the dentate-thalamo-cortical tract 4"
Expected headings
"Clinical presentation "
"Radiographic features "
"MRI"
"Cerebellar mutism syndrome, also known as post-operative paediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS), usually develops after resection of midline cerebellar or intraventricular tumours in the posterior cranial fossa. Typical features of this condition are transient mutism, ataxia, hypotonia and irritability."
"The mutism is transient and usually lasts between a few weeks to six months 1,3. The recovery phase might last two years and some patients may have permanent impairments of speech and language (dysarthria, dysfluency or slowed speech rate) or other cognitive abnormalities 1-3."
"Cerebellar mutism syndrome usually occurs one to two days but sometimes until seven days following surgery of a posterior fossa tumour in the paediatric patient 1-5. A typical feature is a transient mutism, which is commonly associated with emotional lability, cranial neuropathies, oropharyngeal dysfunction/dysphagia and motor disorders, which include ataxia, hypotonia, flaccid hemiparesis and hypokinesia 1-4."