Fulminant cerebellitis with radiological recurrence in an adult patient with Crohn's disease

There are few reports of cerebellitis in adults and reports of recurrent cerebellitis are extremely rare. This report highlights both the fulminant course that may follow cerebellitis and a potentially important association with Crohn's disease. A 41-year-old man presented with headache and cerebellar dysfunction a month after ileo-colonic resection for Crohn's disease. MRI demonstrated T2-signal abnormalities, pial enhancement and cerebellar enlargement. His course was complicated by obstructive hydrocephalus, intraventricular hemorrhage associated with external ventricular drain placement and left transverse sinus venous thrombosis. Treatment with high-dose intravenous steroids and anti-coagulation resulted in improvement. Asymptomatic radiological worsening 13 months after initial presentation occurred during a relapse of Crohn's disease. He was treated with intravenous steroids and maintenance azathioprine for his Crohn's and suspected immune mediated cerebellitis. At last follow-up 4 years after initial presentation his clinical status remained unchanged and radiological changes had stabilized. Adult onset cerebellitis may be fulminant and recurrent. Early immunotherapy in acute relapsing cerebellitis may speed recovery and prevent recurrence. Onset and radiological relapse of cerebellitis during Crohn's disease flare-ups as in our case possibly suggests a shared autoimmune pathogenesis.