MR AND CT DIAGNOSIS OF CAROTID PSEUDOANEURYSM IN CHILDREN FOLLOWING SURGICAL RESECTION OF CRANIOPHARYNGIOMA

We report the cases of two children who underwent CT, MR, MRA and angi ography in the diagnosis of postoperative aneurysmal dilatation of the supraclinoid carotid arteries following surgical resection of craniop haryngioma. Craniopharyngiomas are relatively common lesions, accounti ng for 6-7 % of brain tumors in children. They are histologically beni gn, causing symptoms by their growth within the sella and suprasellar cistern with compression of adjacent structures, especially the pituit ary gland, hypothalamus and optic nerves, chiasm, and tracts. Complete surgical resection, particularly of large tumors, is complicated by t he fact that the lesions are usually found within the circle of Willis , with displacement and adherence to the adventitia of these vessels [ 1, 2]. Recent reports in the neurosurgical literature have described a neurysmal dilatation of the supraclinoid internal carotid arteries fol lowing aggressive surgical resection of craniopharyngioma [3, 4].