Acute pseudotumoral hemicerebellitis: Diagnosis and neurosurgical considerations of a rare entity

Acute pseudotumoral hemicerebellitis is an exceptionally rare unilateral presentation of acute cerebellitis mimicking a tumor. It typically has a benign course without specific therapy; thus, recognizing this entity is important to avoid needless surgical intervention. MRI provides the key for diagnosis and usually reveals a diffusely swollen cerebellar hemisphere with no well-defined mass. Some patients will require neurosurgical assistance by means of ventriculostomy or posterior fossa decompression. We present a 17-year-old girl with pseudotumoral hemicerebellitis, review the available literature, and discuss the diagnosis and therapeutic dilemma from the neurosurgical perspective. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.