Skip to main content
Log in

Early detection of post-traumatic olivary hypertrophy by MRI

  • Original Communications
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two patients are described, in whom MRI detected unilateral signal abnormalities in the region of the inferior olivary nuclei, suggesting an early stage of olivary hypertrophy. MRI was performed 4 and 7 weeks respectively after traumatic brain-stem injury. Palatal myoclonus was concomitantly observed in one patient, while the other showed no evidence of segmental myoclonus at the time of examination. The authors conclude that MRI is highly sensitive in the detection of olivary hypertrophy and of traumatic lesions of the dentatorubro-olivary pathway.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Birbamer G, Gerstenbrand F, Aichner F, Saltuari L, Felber S, Koffer M (1991) MR imaging of bilateral posttraumatic olivary hypertrophy. J Neurol 238:468

    Google Scholar 

  2. irbamer G, Buchberger W, Felber S, Aichner F, Schmitz J (1992) MR-tomographische Aspekte der olivären Pseudohypertrophie. Radiologe 32:389–392

    Google Scholar 

  3. Birbamer G, Buchberger W, Felber S, Aichner F (1992) MR appearance of hypertrophic olivary degeneration: temporal relationships. AJNR 13:1501–1503

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Deuschl G, Mischke G, Schenck E, Schulte-Mönting J, Lücking CH (1990) Symptomatic and essential rhythmic palatal myoclonus. Brain 113:1645–1672

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. erstenbrand F, Machacek F (1968) Traumatisch bedingter Uvulanystagmus. Wien Z Nervenheilk 26:293–303

    Google Scholar 

  6. Goto N, Kaneko M (1987) Olivary enlargement. Chronological and morphometric analyses. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 54:275–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Guillain G (1938) The syndrome of synchronous and rhythmic palate-pharyngo-laryngo-oculo-diaphragmatic myoclonus. Proc R Soc Med 31:1031–1038

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Hattori T, Hirayama K, Imai T, Yamada T, Kojima S (1988) Pontine lesion in opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome shown by MRI. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 51:1572–1575

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Hirono N, Kameyama M, Kobayashi Y, Udaka F, Mezaki T, Abe K, Nishitani N (1990) MR demonstration of a unilateral olivary hypertrophy caused by pontine tegmental hematoma. Neuroradiology 32:340–342

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Jellinger K (1973) Hypertrophy of the inferior olives. Report on 29 cases. Z Neurol 205:153–174

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Lapresle J (1986) Palatal myoclonus. Adv Neurol 43:265–273

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Matsuo F, Ajax ET (1979) Palatal myoclonus and denervation supersensitivity in the central nervous system. Ann Neurol 5:72–78

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Pierot L, Cervera-Pierot P, Delattre J-Y, Duyckaerts C, Chiras J, Brunet P (1992) Palatal myoclonus and inferior olivary lesions: MRI-pathologic correlation. J Comput Assist Tomogr 16:160–163

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Revel MP, Mann M, Brugieres P, Poirier J, Gaston A (1991) MR appearance of hypertrophic olivary degeneration after contralateral cerebellar hemorrhage. AJNR 12:71–72

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Shaddock SS, Shaddock LB, Black SPW (1972) Palatal myoclonus following head injury. J Trauma 12:353–357

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sperling MR, Herrmann C Jr (1987) Syndrome of palatal myoclonus and progressive ataxia: two cases with magnetic resonance imaging. Neurology 35:1212–1214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yokota T, Hirashima F, Furukawa T, Tsukagoshi H, Yoshikawa H (1989) MRI findings of inferior olives in palatal myoclonus. J Neurol 236:115–116

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. 18.Zarranz J, Aurora F, Forcadas I (1990) MR imaging of presumed olivary hypertrophy in palatal myoclonus. AJNR 11:1164

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Birbamer, G., Buchberger, W., Kampfl, A. et al. Early detection of post-traumatic olivary hypertrophy by MRI. J Neurol 240, 407–409 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00867352

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00867352

Key words

Navigation