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Updated: May 12, 2026

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Published on: August 9, 2024
The white cerebellum sign: an under recognized sign of increased intracranial pressure
Julio A Chalela1, Julia Rothlisberger, Bryan West
1Neurosciences Department, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. chalela@musc.edu
Background:
The "white cerebellum" sign is a rare imaging finding described mainly in children with hypoxic brain injury.
Materials And Methods:
Single case report and review of the literature.
Findings:
We describe a child with acute bacterial meningitis in whom plain CT and MRI showed the white cerebellum sign. The subtle imagings findings were not recognized and a lumbar puncture was performed. Markedly increased intracranial pressure was documented by lumbar puncture and by placement of an intraparenchymal monitor. Contrary to most prior descriptions the patient made a very good recovery.
Conclusions:
The white cerebellum sign is a subtle imaging finding seen in patients with diffuse cerebral edema, such finding may not be as ominous as previously thought.
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Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions
Cerebellar Structure
Externally, the cerebellum features a highly convoluted surface with numerous folia (narrow ridges) separated by shallow sulci (grooves). The cerebellum is divided into two hemispheres by a thin median structure known as the vermis. The...

