Chronological diffusion-weighted imaging changes and mutism in the course of rotavirus-associated acute cerebellitis/cerebellopathy concurrent with encephalitis/encephalopathy

• DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2010.04.007
• Publication Date: 2010-05-27T13:27:50Z
• Authors: Tetsuo Kubota; Toshihiko Suzuki; Yuma Kitase; Hiroyuki Kidokoro; Yuji Miyajima; Akimasa Ogawa; Jun Natsume; Akihisa Okumura
• Keywords: Dentate nucleus; Cerebellar hemisphere

Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis in children and is known to accompany some neurological disorders such as encephalitis/encephalopathy and seizures. Although cerebellar disorders sometime occur as a complication of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Japan, few reports have addressed these issues. Here, we report three cases of insulted cerebellums in addition to encephalitis/encephalopathy associated with rotavirus. Similar to posterior fossa syndrome after surgery, mutism was a notable symptom that lasted about 1 month. Brain diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) revealed chronological changes, i.e., marked hyperintensity in the bilateral dentate nucleus followed by the vermis and cerebellar hemisphere. The bilateral dentate nucleus is known to be a key lesion site for mutism, and these clinical and radiological findings may be tightly connected in rotavirus-associated cerebellitis/cerebellopathy.