Racemose Cysticercosis in the Cerebellar Hemisphere

ABSTRACT

Neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease of the central nervous system in humans, caused by infection of the larval stage of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. However, cerebellar involvement is rarely reported. We report of a case of racemose cysticercosis in the cerebellar hemisphere. A 44-year-old man presented with headache and dizziness. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hydrocephalus and an ill-defined, multicystic cerebellar mass with hypersignal on T2-weighted images, hyposignal on T1-weighted images and rim enhancement after gadolinium injection. The patient underwent endoscopic third ventriculostomy and the cyst resection was done through a craniotomy. In surgical field, cysts were conglomerated in a dense collagen capsule that were severely adherent to surrounding cerebellar tissue, and transparent cysts contained white, milky fluid. Histological findings confirmed the diagnosis of cysticercosis. He received antiparasitic therapy with praziquantel after surgery. Racemose cysticercosis is rare in the cerebellar hemisphere but neurocysticercosis should be taken into consideration as a differential diagnosis of multiple cystic lesions in the cerebellum.