Asymptomatic remote cerebellar hemorrhage: CT and MRI findings.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging findings (MRI) of asymptomatic remote cerebellar hemorrhage (RCH) at the preoperative, early postoperative, and postoperative period. A total of 983 consecutive adult patients who underwent supratentorial craniotomies were included in the study. The ethics committee approved the study. The patient's clinical records and radiological examinations were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had preoperative CT and MRI examinations, immediate postoperative CT, and postoperative MRI within 24 h. The patients with the radiological diagnosis of RCH were followed up to 5 years. Eight asymptomatic RCH cases were recruited. The prevalence of asymptomatic RCH was 0.8% in our series. RCH was unilateral in two patients and bilateral in six patients. The postoperative CT was positive in two cases. The hemorrhage presented on MRI as folial linear hypointensities in six cases. In three cases (including one mixed case), punctate hypointense spots were identified at the superior cerebellar folia. Diffuse hemorrhage in the cerebellar tonsil, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and hemorrhage in the cerebellar vermis and the ventricles were also seen. The MRI findings were stable up to 5 years. The prevalence of asymptomatic RCH is higher than previously reported. Immediate postoperative CT is usually unremarkable; however, MRI demonstrates various hemorrhagic patterns at the cerebellum other than classical "zebra sign". This condition is self-limiting and no further investigation or follow-up study is required. In the proper clinical setting, the awareness of different hemorrhagic patterns in patients with RCH would prevent unnecessary investigations.