When does cerebellar mutism syndrome usually develop?
This syndrome usually occurs after resection of midline cerebellar or intraventricular tumors in the posterior fossa in the pediatric population.
What are the risk factors of cerebellar mutism syndrome?
Tumor type (mainly medulloblastoma), infiltration/compression of the brainstem, cerebellar vermis/midline location, high fourth ventricle location, tumor size > 5 cm, and younger age.
What are the typical clinical features of cerebellar mutism syndrome?
Transient mutism, ataxia, hypotonia, and irritability.
How long does the mutism last in this condition?
The mutism is transient and usually lasts between several weeks and six months.
What are the typical radiological findings of the cerebellar mutism syndrome?
Postoperative MRI studies usually show bilateral T2-weighted signal abnormalities within the superior cerebellar peduncles and dentate nucleus. MRI diffusion tractography studies may show disruption of the dentate-thalamo-cortical tract.
Postoperative MRI reveals gross resection of the tumor and resulting decompression of the brainstem. However, hydrocephalus persists. There are postoperative bilateral T2-weighted signal abnormalities within the dentate nucleus and superior cerebellar peduncles, predominantly on the right.