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Arachnoid cysts with orbital bone remodeling--two interesting cases
Teri Fisher1, Robert Nugent, Jack Rootman
1Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia and the Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Orbit (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|March 15, 2005
Summary
Arachnoid cysts in the middle cranial fossa can cause orbital bone remodeling and proptosis. Early CT scans are crucial for diagnosing these cysts in patients with unexplained proptosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Radiology
Background:
- Arachnoid cysts are benign lesions that can occur in various locations within the central nervous system.
- Cysts in the middle cranial fossa are relatively common but rarely associated with significant bony changes.
Observation:
- Two male patients over 60 presented with unilateral arachnoid cysts.
- Computed tomography (CT) revealed middle cranial fossa arachnoid cysts causing orbital bone remodeling and exophthalmos in one case.
Findings:
- The arachnoid cysts led to significant bone remodeling of the orbital walls.
- Clinical and radiographic follow-up over several years showed no changes in the cyst size or bony deformities.
Implications:
- Middle cranial fossa arachnoid cysts can cause clinically apparent proptosis due to orbital bone remodeling.
- CT imaging is essential for identifying bony changes and diagnosing arachnoid cysts in patients with unexplained proptosis.
- T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can confirm the diagnosis of arachnoid cysts.