Superficial siderosis of the CNS: report of three cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Superficial siderosis (SS) is a rare entity. A chronic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) leads to the deposition of ferric pigments and ions in the surface of the central nervous system (CNS). The cause of this hemorrhage is identified in half of the cases. The disease progresses slowly and the damage is often irreversible by the time diagnosis is established. The management focuses on the identification and ablation of the bleeding source. Knowledge about this entity is based on sporadic reports. We describe three cases of superficial siderosis and briefly review the literature.