Review

Arachnoid Cysts

  • Çagatay ÖNCEL

Meandros Med Dent J 2007;8(1):51-55

Arachnoid cysts are cavities with a content similar to cerebrospinal fluid, frequently communicating with the subarachnoid space. They make up 1% of the intracranial space occupying lesions. They are developmental anomalies which may be clinically asymptomatic. The most frequent clinical findings are headache, macrocephaly, epileptic seizures, focal nerological signs and intracranial hypertansion. Rarely they cause optic neuritis, endocrinological dysfunction, cerebellar dysfunction, hemifascial spasm. They are most commonly located in the middle fossa of the cranium. Subdural hematomas and hygromas are infrequently encountered complications of arachnoid cysts of the middle cranial fossa. Spinal arachnoid cysts are mostly diagnosed accidentally or they may present with limb weakness, neuropathic pain, parestesia or myelopathy. In this review localization, clinical features, some unusual syndromes and treatment options of arachnoid cysts are discussed.

Keywords: Arachnoid cyst, clinical findings, imaging