Intracranial lipomas: clinical appearances on neuroimaging and clinical significance

Intracranial lipomas are rare congenital malformations which are neither hematomas nor true neoplasms. They result from the abnormal persistence and maldifferentiation of the meninx primitiva. The majority of such lesions occur near the midline. Around 55% of intracranial lipomas are associated with brain malformations of varying severity. Although they are usually an incidental finding, symptomatic intracranial lipomas are sometimes observed. Surgical excision may result in high morbidity and mortality due to the highly vascular nature of intracranial lipomas and the latter's strong adhesion to the surrounding tissue and is very rarely indicated.