DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2021.v09i03.014

Pages: 246-248

Childhood presentations of ataxia, an impairment of balance and coordination caused by damage to or dysfunction of the cerebellum, can often be challenging to diagnose. Ataxia alone is rare as a paraneoplastic sign, especially if it is due to neuroblastoma (abdominal or chest). Although the pathogenesis is not known, the association of these entities shows similarity to the adult association of cerebellar ataxia with occult neoplasms. Chest and abdominal imaging may aid in diagnosing otherwise silent and occult neuroblastoma and is recommended when cerebellar ataxia is present. We report an abdominal neuroblastoma in a one and half year-old boy presenting with only acute ataxia, behavioral disturbances and abnormal neuroimaging. Brain MRI showed abnormal signal finding in the occipital subcortical white matter and the periventricular space. In the abdominal CT, a mass was detected in the left adrenal gland. We suggest in children with acute ataxia, with or without opsoclonus-myoclonus, neuroblastoma should be considered.