Isolated Diaphragmatic Tremor: A Case Report

72-year-old housewife complained of involuntary abdominal and back movement, which persisted for five years. She had a history of breast cancer and unruptured aneurysm on intracranial carotid artery. On neurological examination, she had persistent, irregular, occasionally jerky movement of the abdominal wall. The movement would stop when she spoke or took a deep breath. Head and whole spinal MRI showed no abnormal findings. Needle EMG of diaphragm and fluoroscopy revealed that the movement was originated from diaphragm and the contractions were rhythmic, distractible, and under at least some degree of voluntary control. These findings suggested this movement as isolated diaphragmatic tremor. Though only a small number of cases of this movement disorder have been reported in the literature, neurologists must keep it in mind in case of an involuntary abdominal movement.