THE PNEUMOENCEPHALOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN VARIOUS FORMS OF CEREBELLAR DEGENERATION.

Cerebellar disorders caused by hereditary, toxic, and nutritional factors are encountered with considerable frequency in clinical neurological practice, but the roentgen diagnosis of cerebellar atrophy has been uncommon. In the past two years we have observed 16 cases with radiological evidence of gross cortical cerebellar atrophy, and all but 1 had clinical evidence of a cerebellar deficit. In 3 of the patients the possibility of a posterior fossa mass had been raised clinically. Because we have found the pneumoencephalogram to be so helpful in establishing the diagnosis of cerebellar atrophy and because we have noted a close relationship between the clinical findings and the radiological diagnosis of gross cerebellar atrophy, it seems worthwhile to present a review of our experience and technics. In the past, the pneumoencephalographic diagnosis of cerebellar degeneration has most often depended upon indirect evidence; notably, the demonstration of an enlarged fourth ventricle and/or cisterna magna. The...