Cystic tuberculomas of the brain--two case reports

A 19-year-old male presented with raised intracranial pressure and a peripherally enhanced multinodular lesion with a large subjacent cyst in the right medial frontal lobe. Surgery revealed a solid tuberculoma and an underlying cyst lined with normal brain tissue. A 22-year-old male with a history of tuberculous meningitis and hydrocephalus presented with an exophytic brain stem and a left temporal tuberculoma, which were excised in two stages. The temporal tuberculoma had a peripherally located cyst that was lined with tuberculous tissue. Intracranial tuberculomas are an important part of the differential diagnosis where tuberculosis is endemic and in immunocompromised patients. Cystic tuberculomas are uncommon. The cysts may be centrally or peripherally intralesional, or either subdural and extralesional, or occur between the lesion and the brain. The type of cyst is important to recognize preoperatively, so that adequate precautions can be taken during the excision of these lesions.