Journal of Clinical Case Reports

The Radiological Changes Found in Hypertrophic Olivary Degeneration

Abstract

Aline Coelho*, Americo Mota, Aquino Santana and Rafael Valois

The triangle of Guillain and Mollaret, also known as the dentatorubro-olivar pathway is divided into nuclei, these being the red, inferior olivary and contralateral dentate nuclei. In general, among the most common diseases associated with this triangle, there are three types of important changes. Hypertrophic olivar degeneration, contralateral cerebellar atrophy and Holmes tremor. Degenerative Olivary Hypertrophy (DOH) is a rare entity, reported at any age and affecting both sexes. This study is a literature review carried out in September and October 2022, by means of an electronic search in the following databases: PubMed, SciELO and Periódicos CAPES. The descriptors used were Triangle of Guillain, hypertrophic olivary degeneration and radiological changes. Scientific articles from the last 7 years with the main radiological findings of this pathology were searched. The radiological finding of DOH is characterized as a T2-hyperintense lesion in the anterolateral portion of the bulb, in the region of the oliva, associated with increased volume of this structure, which does not present contrast uptake. Therefore, in view of the reports of radiological manifestations related to hypertrophic olivary degeneration, it is important to recognize the characteristic radiological signs of this pathology and encourage further studies to elucidate the subject under consideration.