"De novo" development of a suprasellar arachnoid cyst

Intracranial arachnoid cysts are fluid-filled cavities that arise within the cranial arachnoid, representing approximately 1%-2% of all intracranial lesions among the paediatric population. We present the case of a 2-year-old boy who presented with instability and episodes of ocular deviation. A computed tomography scan (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed a suprasellar cyst and obstructive hydrocephalus. At birth a transfontanellar ultrasound was normal. The cyst underwent endoscopic fenestration with complete remission of symptoms. In the review of the literature, we found only 6 previous cases of an intracranial arachnoid cyst whose origin was not clearly congenital or traumatic, and ours is the second case of a suprasellar arachnoid cyst to arise de novo. The clinical features, imaging characteristics and treatment of the previously reported cases are discussed. (C) 2014 Sociedad Espanola de Neurocirugia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.