Giant ependymal cyst of the temporal horn - An unusual presentation

Primary benign cystic lesions in the brain are uncommon. However, extracere bral cysts like arachnoid cyst, epidermoid cyst and craniopharyngiomas are fairly common lesions. Also, colloid cyst in the third ventricle, dermoid c yst and endodermal cyst in the extracerebral location are not uncommon. On the contrary, intraventricular ependymal and choroidal cysts in the intrave ntricular location are infrequent. Surgical intervention is warranted in cy sts, which produce a mass effect and raised intracranial pressure. We prese nt an interesting case of a giant intraventricular ependymal cyst in the te mporal horn in a 14-year-old boy, who presented with recent onset of headac hes and epilepsy. He also had longstanding progressive proptosis of the lef t eye and left temporal bossing. Excision of this cystic lesion was curativ e. Interesting clinical and neuroimaging features are presented. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel