[Congenital absence of a cervical spine pedicle. Incidental finding in patient with cervical pain. Diagnostic approach by helical CT]. / Agenesia congénita del pediculo en una vértebra cervical. Hallazgo casual en pacientes con cervicalgia. Diagnóstico de certeza mediante TC espiral.

Congenital absence of a cervical pedicle is usually an incidental finding in radiological studies made after trauma in patients with cervical pain. We report the case of a patient with congenital absence of the right pedicle in a cervical vertebra. Recognition of this anomaly is important to avoid confusion with more clinically significant anomalies, such as unilateral facet dislocation, that may result in inappropriate surgical intervention.

[Dilation of the ventriculus terminalis, an infrequent cause of lower back pain. Magnetic resonance findings]. / Dilatación del ventrículo terminal, causa infrecuente de lumbalgia. Hallazgos en resonancia magnética.

INTRODUCTION: Ventriculus terminalis is the name given to a congenital disorder that consists in the appearance of a small oval ependymal cystic cavity in the conus medullaris. It is formed during embryogenesis as a result of the differentiation between the canalisation and regression of the spinal cord. The aim of this study is to describe the findings obtained by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging concerning the dilation of the ventriculus terminalis in a symptomatic patient. CASE REPORT: A 41-year-old female with a three-year history of lower back pain and irradiated pain in the left leg, together with paresthesias. The physical exploration revealed hypoesthesia with a low level of sensitivity in D12, L1 and L2. MR images revealed the presence of a cystic lesion located in the conus medullaris, with a well defined outline, and which was not enhanced following contrast IV. CONCLUSION: The ventriculus terminalis is the ependymal cavity that lies in the conus medullaris. It may present an abnormal dilation and we need to know of its existence, where it is typically located and its signal characteristics in MR in order to be able to diagnose and differentiate it from cystic tumours situated in the same place, which can display a similar appearance in MR images. The therapeutic management of these patients will depend on their clinical progress. MR scanning is fundamental for diagnosing and monitoring symptomatic patients.

Dilatación del ventrículo terminal, causa infrecuente de lumbalgia. Hallazgos en resonancia magnética / Dilation of the ventriculus terminalis, an infrequent cause of lower back pain. Magnetic resonance findings

Introducción. Se llama ventrículo terminal a una alteración congénita que consiste en la aparición de una pequeña cavidad quística ependimaria ovalada que se localiza en el cono medular. Se forma durante la etapa de la embriogénesis como resultado de la diferenciación en la canalización y regresión de la médula espinal. El objetivo de este caso es describir los hallazgos por resonancia magnética (RM) de la dilatación del ventrículo terminal en un paciente sintomático. Caso clínico. Mujer de 41 años con historia de lumbalgia y dolor irradiado a la pierna izquierda, junto con parestesias, de tres años de evolución. En la exploración física presentaba hipoestesia con nivel sensitivo suspendido en D12, L1 y L2. Las imágenes de RM mostraron la presencia de una lesión quística que se localizó en el cono medular, de contorno bien definido y que no se realzaba tras el contraste IV. Conclusión. El ventrículo terminal es la cavidad ependimaria que se halla en el cono medular. Puede presentar una dilatación anormal y es necesario conocer su existencia, su localización típica y sus características de señal en la RM para poder diagnosticarlo y diferenciarlo de tumoraciones quísticas de esta localización, que pueden presentar un aspecto similar por RM. El manejo terapéutico de estos pacientes dependerá de la evolución clínica. La RM es fundamental para el diagnóstico y el seguimiento de los pacientes sintomáticos (AU)

Introduction. Ventriculus terminalis is the name given to a congenital disorder that consists in the appearance of a small oval ependymal cystic cavity in the conus medullaris. It is formed during embryogenesis as a result of the differentiation between the canalisation and regression of the spinal cord. The aim of this study is to describe the findings obtained by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging concerning the dilation of the ventriculus terminalis in a symptomatic patient. Case report. A 41-yearold female with a three-year history of lower back pain and irradiated pain in the left leg, together with paresthesias. The physical exploration revealed hypoesthesia with a low level of sensitivity in D12, L1 and L2. MR images revealed the presence of a cystic lesion located in the conus medullaris, with a well-defined outline, and which was not enhanced following contrast IV. Conclusion. The ventriculus terminalis is the ependymal cavity that lies in the conus medullaris. It may present an abnormal dilation and we need to know of its existence, where it is typically located and its signal characteristics in MR in order to be able to diagnose and differentiate it from cystic tumours situated in the same place, which can display a similar appearance in MR images. The therapeutic management of these patients will depend on their clinical progress. MR scanning is fundamental for diagnosing and monitoring symptomatic patients (AU)

Arachnoid cysts of the middle cranial fossa: a consideration of their origins based on imaging.

Arachnoid cysts situated in the middle cranial fossa constitute the largest group of this type of lesion. Their origin has been the subject of debate since they were first described. There is still controversy as to whether they originate directly from the meninges adjacent to the temporal pole or whether partial agenesis of the temporal lobe favours secondary formation of the cyst. We assessed the morphology of the temporal lobe and the bulging of the squamous temporal bone. "Paradoxical changes" in adjacent-bone, described as very rare findings in arachnoid cysts of the middle cranial fossa, were common in our study and suggest, in association with direct signs of temporal atrophy, that this atrophy precedes, or is at least co-existent with, the formation of the cyst. The importance of being able to determine the origin of the cyst lies in its being a factor to assess as regards treatment.

[Carcinoma of the choroid plexus. Apropos of a case]. / Carcinoma de plexos coroides. A propósito de un caso.

A new case of choroid plexus carcinoma is presented. The propositus is the youngest reported in the literature at the moment. Evolution with early cerebral metastasis is emphasized. Neuroradiological and anatomapathological study was verified.