Clinical Features of Arachnoid Cyst in Childhood / 대한소아신경학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Intracranial arachnoid cysts are benign neurodevelopmental anomalies that are often diagnosed in childhood incidently. They are clinically asymptomatic or could be related to headache, seizure, devlopmental delay, hydrocephalus and sometimes to attention deficient hyperactivity disorder. This study was undertaken to review the clinical, radiologic findings and to discuss therapeutic strategy for arachnoid cyst in the childhood. METHODS: From August 1996 through July 2002, 26 cases of pediatric patients hospitalized in Keimyung university, Dongsan medical center with intracranial arachnoid cyst were analyzed for age, symptoms of onset, location of cyst and therapeutic detalis. Diagnosis was ratified by using of brain CT or MRI. RESULTS: Twenty-six cases were studied. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 5.2 years and 31% of them were less than 2 years old. The majority of cyst were located in supratentorial(88%) and 16 cases(61%) of them were on middle cranial fossa/ sylvian fissure. The symptoms of onset were headache in 11 cases(42%), convulsions on 6 cases(23%), trauma and others. Among these 26 children, 18 children treated by surgery, in which 10 cases had cysto-peritoneal shunt and the rest had marsupialization and excision of cyst. CONCLUSION: Arachnoid cyst represented variable symptoms in the childhood and incidence rate seems to be higher, especially in infant. Thus we should provide them appropriate strategy of therapy.