63 patients with primary cerebellar and spinocerebellar ataxia have be
en studied with MRI. This method allows to identify in vivo different
groups of diseases such as that characterized by atrophy of cerebellum
alone; that with atrophy of cerebellum associated with braistem chang
es; the forms with associated changes of basal ganglia; the forms with
spinal cord atrophy alone, as well as transitional forms. An interest
ing correlation between the varying groups and the type of inheritance
was found, while no correlation with other clinical aspects was obser
ved.