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Case Reports
. 2024 Jul 30;19(10):4422-4425.
doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2024.07.010. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Hydatid cyst of the brainstem: The rarest of the rare locations for echinococcosis

Ghassen Gader  1 , Abdelhafidh Slimane  2 , Firas Sliti  2 , Mansour Kherifech  3 , Ala Belhaj  2 , Asma Bouhoula  2 , Jalel Kallel  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hydatid cyst of the brainstem: The rarest of the rare locations for echinococcosis

Ghassen Gader et al. Radiol Case Rep. .

Abstract

Hydatidosis, caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, is a zoonotic disease typically affecting the liver and lungs. Cerebral localizations are rare, especially in the brainstem. We present a case of a 9-year-old boy with a brainstem hydatid cyst. The patient exhibited progressive walking difficulties and limb impairment. MRI revealed a brainstem mass consistent with a hydatid cyst. Due to the lesion's size and location, surgical intervention was necessary. The cyst was decompressed and removed without complications, followed by albendazole treatment. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, and the patient showed no signs of recurrence after 2 years. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis, precise surgical techniques, and thorough postoperative care in managing rare cerebral hydatid cysts.

Keywords: Brainstem; Hydatid cysts; Neurosurgery; Radiology.

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Figures

Fig 1:
Fig. 1
Axial section of a brain CT scan showing a round hypodense well circumscribed in the pons.
Fig 2:
Fig. 2
Sagittal (A), axial (B, D) and coronal (C) sections of a brain MRI on T2-WI (D) and T1-WI without contrast injection (A, B) and with contrast injection (C) showing a cystic lesion in the pons without any enhancement after injection of Gadolinium. The lesion slightly protrudes towards the left cerebellopontine angle.
Fig 3:
Fig. 3
Axial section of postoperative brain CT scan showing a complete removal of the lesion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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