[Importance of the clinical-radiological complementarity in superficial cerebral siderosis]

We report two cases of superficial siderosis of central nervous system. In one case it was idiopathic and in the other secondary to an unidentified subarachnoid hemorrhage. The symptoms that characterized the clinical picture of both were gait disturbance and hypoacusis. The MRI study showed a superficial rim of hypointensity that covered the cerebellum and brainstem, and extended along the cranial nerves and the brain surface. The findings were clearer in the T2 spin echo series. Due to the high sensitivity for hemosiderin deposits, MRI made it possible to make the final diagnosis of this rare disease.