arachnoid cyst (intracranial cyst)

Introduction

cerebrospinal fluid-filled cysts on the arachnoid membrane

Epidemiology

• most cases begin during infancy
• onset may be delayed until adolescence
• most often occur in males

Clinical manifestations

• symptoms are related to size & location
• small cysts are generally asymptomatic (incidental finding)
• large cysts may cause
  • cranial deformation
  • macrocephaly
  • headaches
  • seizures
  • hydrocephalus
  • increased intracranial pressure
  • developmental delay
  • behavioral changes
  • hemiparesis
  • ataxia, falls

Radiology

• magnetic resonance imaging (image)

Complications

• hemorrhage
  • subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • subdural hemorrhage
• compression of brain structures

Management

• treatment is symptomatic
• neurosurgery
  • surgical placement of a shunt may be required to decompress a cyst
  • craniectomy (CPT)
• prognosis
  • with treatment most patients do well
  • cyst size may not diminish with shunt

More general terms

• CNS cyst

Patient information

arachnoid cyst patient information