Abstract: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a progressive central
nervous system disorder, presents after a latent period of 6 years or more from
an acute measles infection and has an insidious onset of neurological
dysfunction associated with myoclonus and seizure activity. It progresses to
coma and death within 1 or 2 years of onset. Brain magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) in SSPE shows lesions usually involving the parieto-occipital and
cortico-subcortical regions asymmetrically in the early stage. In later stage
of SSPE, symmetric periventricular white-matter changes become more prominent
on MRI. Here we describe a case report of a child with SSPE with brain MRI
showing extensive brainstem and cerebellum involvement with additional lesion
in the basal ganglia, these findings are rarely described with SSPE, and hence
low-grade glioma was initially reported by radiologist. Thus, one has to be
aware of such extensive brainstem and cerebellum involvement on MRI in
SSPE.
