Symmetric deep cerebellar lesions after smoking heroin.

BACKGROUND

Acute symmetric deep cerebellar lesions suggest toxic exposure.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a patient with striking neurologic and magnetic resonance image features.

DESIGN

Case report.

SETTING

Emergency department and office.

METHODS

Personal observation.

RESULTS

A middle-aged man had a day of unsteadiness, followed by acute and pronounced cerebellar signs. The degree of disability was remarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging showed almost perfectly symmetric deep cerebellar damage that ultimately became cavitated. Serial querying of the patient revealed the use of heroin by inhalation just prior to the emergence of the ataxic syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

An acute and purely ataxic syndrome with symmetric deep cerebellar lesions suggests toxic exposure, in this case, the smoking of heroin.