Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain
It is rare to find free floating fat droplets in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain. When fat droplets are seen in the CSF spaces, the most common cause is the rupture of a dermoid cyst. Dermoid cysts are congenital inclusion cysts that form during the neural tube closure between th...
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AIMS Press
2024-11-01
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| Series: | AIMS Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/Neuroscience.2024029 |
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| author | Mark Reed Christopher Miller Cortney Connor Jason S. Chang Forshing Lui |
| author_facet | Mark Reed Christopher Miller Cortney Connor Jason S. Chang Forshing Lui |
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| description | It is rare to find free floating fat droplets in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain. When fat droplets are seen in the CSF spaces, the most common cause is the rupture of a dermoid cyst. Dermoid cysts are congenital inclusion cysts that form during the neural tube closure between the third and fifth weeks of embryogenesis. In this case report, we describe a case of a 74-year-old, right-handed female who presented with an acute onset of visual disturbances and left-hand numbness. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head revealed hypodense “lesions” in the lateral ventricles and basal cisterns. The CT Hounsfield unit was between −41 to −83 Hounsfield Units, which is compatible with fat rather than air. The T1 weighted and FLAIR MRI showed hyperintense lesions “floating” on top of the CSF in the lateral ventricles, which is typical for fat droplets, presumably caused by a ruptured dermoid cyst. This case emphasizes the importance of analyzing Hounsfield Units to distinguish lesions by density, where fat ranges from −50 to −150 Hounsfield Units and air is −1000 Hounsfield Units. Pneumocephalus is the presence of air in the epidural, subdural, or subarachnoid space and can cause confusion, nausea, seizures and focal neurological symptoms. A careful analysis of the neuroimaging findings in the CT with or without MRI is important in making a correct diagnosis of a ruptured dermoid cyst versus pneumocephalus. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5a730a70538348ad82ef2c056ac4eed3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2373-7972 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-5a730a70538348ad82ef2c056ac4eed32025-01-24T01:29:33ZengAIMS PressAIMS Neuroscience2373-79722024-11-0111448448910.3934/Neuroscience.2024029Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brainMark Reed0Christopher Miller1Cortney Connor2Jason S. Chang3Forshing Lui4California Northstate University College of Medicine, Elk Grove, CA, USACalifornia Northstate University College of Medicine, Elk Grove, CA, USACalifornia Northstate University College of Medicine, Elk Grove, CA, USANeurology, Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USAClinical Sciences, California Northstate University College of Medicine, Elk Grove, CA, USAIt is rare to find free floating fat droplets in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain. When fat droplets are seen in the CSF spaces, the most common cause is the rupture of a dermoid cyst. Dermoid cysts are congenital inclusion cysts that form during the neural tube closure between the third and fifth weeks of embryogenesis. In this case report, we describe a case of a 74-year-old, right-handed female who presented with an acute onset of visual disturbances and left-hand numbness. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head revealed hypodense “lesions” in the lateral ventricles and basal cisterns. The CT Hounsfield unit was between −41 to −83 Hounsfield Units, which is compatible with fat rather than air. The T1 weighted and FLAIR MRI showed hyperintense lesions “floating” on top of the CSF in the lateral ventricles, which is typical for fat droplets, presumably caused by a ruptured dermoid cyst. This case emphasizes the importance of analyzing Hounsfield Units to distinguish lesions by density, where fat ranges from −50 to −150 Hounsfield Units and air is −1000 Hounsfield Units. Pneumocephalus is the presence of air in the epidural, subdural, or subarachnoid space and can cause confusion, nausea, seizures and focal neurological symptoms. A careful analysis of the neuroimaging findings in the CT with or without MRI is important in making a correct diagnosis of a ruptured dermoid cyst versus pneumocephalus.https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/Neuroscience.2024029intracranialdermoidcysthounsfieldfatpneumocephalus |
| spellingShingle | Mark Reed Christopher Miller Cortney Connor Jason S. Chang Forshing Lui Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain AIMS Neuroscience intracranial dermoid cyst hounsfield fat pneumocephalus |
| title | Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain |
| title_full | Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain |
| title_fullStr | Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain |
| title_short | Fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the brain |
| title_sort | fat droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid csf spaces of the brain |
| topic | intracranial dermoid cyst hounsfield fat pneumocephalus |
| url | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/Neuroscience.2024029 |
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