Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Guessoum.
We report a case of rhabdoid tumor which developed in the IV ventricle in a 4-month-old boy. Cranial ultrasonography, CT-scan and MRI findings are reported and compared with data in the literature.
Epidermoid cysts are rare intradural extramedullary tumors. There are two types of lesions: congenital spinal cysts frequently associated with other bone or skin malformations (spina bifida aperta, dermal sinus ...) and iatrogenic spinal cysts resulting from lumbar puncture. In both situations, clinical and the radiologic findings are similar. We describe an epidermoid cyst in a 52-year-old female affected with a lumbar pain and recent urinary disorders. Symptoms were slow to appear and dependent on the location of the cyst. Epidermoid cyst contained keratin, cholesterol crystals and desquamed epithelial cells. On CT, epidermoid cyst was a hypodense lesion on MR. On T1 weighted images the tumor was hypointense. The signal appeared heterogeneous. There was no enhancement after Gadolinium DTPA injection. Differential diagnosis included: ependymoma, hemangioblastoma, neurinoma, meningioma and metastasis, but all these lesions are enhanced by contrast injection.
We describe the computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings in two cases of intrasellar arachnoid cysts. The diagnosis of intrasellar arachnoid cyst with suprasellar extension should be evoked in case of a cyst-like formation whose density and signal appear to be identical to those of the cerebrospinal fluid even if contrast uptake is evidenced in the cyst wall. Contrast uptake can be related to compression of the pituitary stalk and normal pituitary displacement. Suspected intrasellar arachnoid cyst modifies the surgical approach which must be made via a subfrontal route. We discuss the differential diagnosis with other intrasellar cystic formations such as necrosed tumor, abscesses, Rathke pouch cysts, cystic craniopharyngiomas, epidermoid cysts and parasite cysts.