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. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.