[Cerebral cysticercosis--report of an operated case]

A rare case of cerebral cysticercosis is reported. The patient, a 49-year-old man, had been to Central America several times since 1963. He had an episode of seizure in March 1980 and again in August 1983, and was admitted to our hospital. Skull X-ray, cerebral angiography, scintigraphy, EEG, CSF examination, Chest X-ray, blood and urine examinations were all normal. CT scan only revealed a small lesion in the left frontal lobe as a well circumscribed round low density area with ring-like enhancement. An operation was performed for a suspected brain tumor. However, a cyst was found in the left frontal lobe and was totally extirpated. The microscopic examination revealed a scolex, hooks, and a cyst characteristic of cysticercosis. Postoperative examinations, X-ray of extremities, abdominal CT and immunological reactions of cysticercosis showed no abnormal findings. Cerebral cysticercosis, a rare disease in Japan, may increase proportionally with the increase of world travel. In this case, CT scan was useful for the diagnosis of cysticercosis.