Incidental bilateral xanthogranuloma of the lateral ventricles at autopsy--a case report

We report the case of a woman found dead in a public garden. She had multiple contusions, bruises and lacerations of the face due to blunt force trauma. Microscopic examination of the brain was consistent with a death due to severe craniocerebral injury. The neuropathologist also found yellow nodular lesions located in each lateral ventricle and composed by cholesterol clefts, foamy macrophages, and giant cells. A diagnosis of xanthogranuloma of the choroid plexus was made. According to the literature, xanthogranulomas are uncommon benign lesions of the central nervous system. Mostly are found incidentally at post-mortem examination. However, some of them are symptomatic and can lead to severe nervous central damages if they remain untreated.