Colloid cysts of the third ventricle: MR findings

Magnetic resonance was performed in five patients with obstructive hydrocephalus due to surgically proven colloid cyst of the third ventricle. On T1-weighted images two lesions were homogeneously hyperintense and another homogeneously isointense with the surrounding brain parenchyma. On T2-weighted images these three lesions were strongly hypointense except for a hyperintense rim at the periphery. At surgery in these patients the cyst was thin walled and filled with viscous colloidal material. In two patients the content of the lesion was composed of two layers. The outer layer was hyperintense and the inner layer hypointense in one patient. In the other patient the periphery of the lesion was isointense with central hypointensity. On T2-weighted images the content of both lesions was hyperintense at the periphery with central hypointensity. In these last two patients at surgery the cyst was thin walled too. However, two clearly different components could be found in the cyst content: an outer component composed of amorphous material and cellular debris and an inner component consisting of viscous material.