Focal limb dystonia caused by a complication of the cerebellar developmental venous anomaly: a case report

Abstract

Background: There are no established theories regarding the role of the cerebellum in dystonia. We report a case of focal limb dystonia secondary to a vasogenic edema of the dentate nucleus caused by a symptomatic developmental venous anomaly. Case presentation: A 44-year-old woman presented with sudden onset dystonia in her left arm for 1 week. Brain imaging revealed vasogenic edema in the deep white matter of the left cerebellar hemisphere, including the left dentate nucleus, secondary to a developmental venous anomaly. F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography images showed hypometabolism in the corresponding cerebellar deep nuclei without the involvement of other brain regions. She was treated with a steroid. At the one-month follow-up, computed tomography scan demonstrated remission of the cerebellar edema, which was thought to be the cause of dystonia. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that the cerebellum has an important role in the development of dystonia. Further studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between dystonia and cerebellar dysfunction.