Intracranial lipomas: a retrospective study

Between 1996 and 2006, 17 patients with intracranial lipomas underwent MR imaging examination. Of these, two patients also had CT examination. Lipoma is not a typical tumor and could instead be called intracranial lipoma hamartoma or cerebral malformation. The predominant localization of the lipomas was close to midline structures, such as the area around the corpus callosum, quadrigeminal cisterns, etc. Interpreting the MRI it is necessary to differentiate epidermoid, dermoid and hemorrhage in the metahemoglobin stage from lipoma. Clinically, 47% of patients complained of headache, two presented with epileptic seizures and the remainder had different symptoms. The lipoma was just an incidental finding not related to the clinical symptomatology.