Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration in pediatric Hodgkin disease

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is a rare neurological complic ation in adults with extracerebral neoplasms. It is characterized by a diff use cerebellar dysfunction, usually leading to severe neurological sequelae . In childhood, this complication is extremely rare. We report on PCD as pr imary manifestation of Hodgkin disease (HD) in a thirteen-year old boy. On magnetic resonance imaging, irreversible atrophy of the cerebellum develope d within three months. Antibodies against Purkinje cells were detectable at diagnosis and normalised after successful treatment of the lymphoma. Cereb ellar symptoms, however, only partially resolved. The necessity of a search for a malignant tumour is emphasised in the presence of an otherwise unexp lained, subacutely developing, diffuse cerebellar dysfunction.