MR imaging findings of tremors associated with lesions in cerebellar outflow tracts: Report of two cases

Abstract

Two cases with severe tremors were studied by means of electromyograms using surface electrodes and also by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The first case was associated with multiple sclerosis and demonstrated a severe postural cerebellar tremor and an alternate activation of antagonist muscles in the right arm. The second case, with hemorrhage in the brainstem, demonstrated a severe tremor at rest and mixed synchronous and alternating activation of antagonist muscles in the left forearm. MR imaging studies localized lesions possibly responsible for these tremors. In the first case a lesion was located in the superior cerebellar peduncle just under the decussation, and in the second case a lesion was found between the red nucleus and the thalamus, with possible involvement of both the cerebellothalmic and nigrostriatal pathways. The first case accords with the theory that a lesion located in the dentate nucleus and its projection can cause severe postural cerebellar tremor. The lesion demonstrated in the second case may be responsible for “cerebellar tremor at rest” or “static (resting) cerebellar tremor.”