Spontaneous regression of a symptomatic pineal cyst after endoscopic third-ventriculostomy. 2001

A Di Chirico, and F Di Rocco, and F Velardi
Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Catholic University Medical School, Rome, Italy. iclnc@rm.unicatt.it

With the advent of modern diagnostic tools for neuroimaging, the incidental detection of pineal cysts in asymptomatic subjects has increased. Only rarely do pineal cysts present with the clinical signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure or with neurological deficits in relation to compression and distortion of the adjacent nervous structures and cerebrospinal fluid pathways. While asymptomatic cysts are considered to be normal variants for which no further investigations are usually required, surgical treatment is suggested for symptomatic cysts, with the goal of eliminating the block in the cerebrospinal fluid circulation and/or the mass effect exerted by the lesion. In this report we describe a pediatric case of symptomatic pineal cyst, revealed by repeated episodes of headache caused by secondary obstructive hydrocephalus. Following an endoscopic third-ventriculostomy, serial magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrated that not only had the ventriculomegaly resolved but also that the pineal cyst had regressed over time. A to-and-fro movement of fluid through the cyst wall, the direction of which depends on the equilibrium existing between the inner pressure of the cyst and the outer cerebrospinal fluid pressure, is suggested as a possible mechanism accounting for this unexpected result--to our knowledge, the first reported in literature.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D010870 Pineal Gland A light-sensitive neuroendocrine organ attached to the roof of the THIRD VENTRICLE of the brain. The pineal gland secretes MELATONIN, other BIOGENIC AMINES and NEUROPEPTIDES. Epiphysis Cerebri,Pineal Body,Corpus Pineale,Gland, Pineal,Pineal Bodies,Pineal Glands
D012075 Remission, Spontaneous A spontaneous diminution or abatement of a disease over time, without formal treatment. Spontaneous Healing,Spontaneous Regression,Spontaneous Remission,Healing, Spontaneous,Regression, Spontaneous,Spontaneous Healings,Spontaneous Regressions
D001927 Brain Diseases Pathologic conditions affecting the BRAIN, which is composed of the intracranial components of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. This includes (but is not limited to) the CEREBRAL CORTEX; intracranial white matter; BASAL GANGLIA; THALAMUS; HYPOTHALAMUS; BRAIN STEM; and CEREBELLUM. Intracranial Central Nervous System Disorders,Brain Disorders,CNS Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Disorders, Intracranial,Central Nervous System Intracranial Disorders,Encephalon Diseases,Encephalopathy,Intracranial CNS Disorders,Brain Disease,Brain Disorder,CNS Disorder, Intracranial,Encephalon Disease,Encephalopathies,Intracranial CNS Disorder
D003560 Cysts Any fluid-filled closed cavity or sac that is lined by an EPITHELIUM. Cysts can be of normal, abnormal, non-neoplastic, or neoplastic tissues. Cyst
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006849 Hydrocephalus Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the cranium which may be associated with dilation of cerebral ventricles, INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION; HEADACHE; lethargy; URINARY INCONTINENCE; and ATAXIA. Communicating Hydrocephalus,Congenital Hydrocephalus,Obstructive Hydrocephalus,Post-Traumatic Hydrocephalus,Aqueductal Stenosis,Cerebral Ventriculomegaly,Fetal Cerebral Ventriculomegaly,Hydrocephalus Ex-Vacuo,Hydrocephaly,Aqueductal Stenoses,Cerebral Ventriculomegalies,Cerebral Ventriculomegalies, Fetal,Cerebral Ventriculomegaly, Fetal,Fetal Cerebral Ventriculomegalies,Hydrocephalus Ex Vacuo,Hydrocephalus Ex-Vacuos,Hydrocephalus, Communicating,Hydrocephalus, Congenital,Hydrocephalus, Obstructive,Hydrocephalus, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Hydrocephalus,Stenoses, Aqueductal,Stenosis, Aqueductal,Ventriculomegalies, Cerebral,Ventriculomegalies, Fetal Cerebral,Ventriculomegaly, Cerebral,Ventriculomegaly, Fetal Cerebral
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D014696 Ventriculostomy Surgical creation of an opening in a cerebral ventricle. Ventriculocisternostomy,Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy,Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomies,Ventriculocisternostomies,Ventriculostomies

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