A rare case of cerebellar astrocytoma presenting with cerebellar hemorrhage is reported. On reviewing the literature, we could collect only four other cases of spontaneous hemorrhage in cerebellar astrocytomas.
Case: On April 5, 1984, a 15-year-old boy noted a sudden onset of headache, vomiting and vertigo and became lethargic and confused. He was admitted on the next day. General examinations, including bloodpressure, temperature and laboratory tests, were found to be normal upon admission. The patient was in somnolence with nystagmus and left dysdiadochokinesis. The result of the left nose to finger test was poor. Computerized tomography revealed a mass leison with calcification and hemorrhage in the paramedian part of the cerebellum. Fourty days after admission, suboccipital osteoplastic craniotomy was performed. A hematoma was found in the paramedian part of the cerebellum. A tumor mass with rich vascularity was completely removed together with the hematoma. Histologically this tissue was a low grade fibrillary astrocytoma accompanying calcification and hemosiderin suggesting tumoral hemorrhage. He regained his neurological functions satisfactorily and was discharged 2 months later.