Aneurysmal bone cyst of the temporal bone

Aneurysmal bone cysts are uncommon lesions of the bone, which are benign and non-neoplastic in nature. They are commonly seen in the long bones. Their occurrence in the calvarium is rare. We report the occurrence of an aneurysmal bone cyst in the temporal bone of a young boy, which eroded the posterior part of the orbit to cause proptosis.     

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the sphenoid sinus

Aneurysmal bone cyst is an uncommon lesion that occurs mainly in long bones and vertebrae, being the location in the sphenoid sinus extremely rare. Its origin is unknown, but it can be considered as a vascular phenomenon secondary to a primary lesion. Other primary diseases that may be associated to aneurysmal bone cyst are polyostotic fibrous dysplasia and giant-cell tumors. We report the case of a patient with an aneurysmal bone cyst in the sphenoid sinus causing vision dysfunction.     

MR imaging in aneurysmal bone cyst of the orbit

Aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign fibro-osseous lesion usually described in the long bones. Intraorbital aneurysmal bone cyst is a rare clinical entity with an entirely different outcome and prognosis as compared to the usual pediatric orbital tumors. The authors report magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of an orbital mass lesion in a 4-year-old child who presented with painless proptosis of right eye. Characteristic MRI findings led to a suspicion of an aneurysmal bone cyst that was totally excised via a right frontotemporal craniotomy. Appreciation of characteristic MRI features can be of extreme help for appropriate diagnosis and management of this rare entity.     

Primary osteolytic intraosseous meningioma of the frontal bone

Almost 1–2% of meningiomas are lesions described as ectopic or extradural meningiomas. Primary intraosseous meningiomas are a rare form of intra-bone tumours that account for approximately 67% of extradural meningiomas.A 41-year-old male patient presented with a headache and a bulge at the right frontal region. Cranial computed tomography displayed a hyperostotic lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging showed enhancement of the bone lesion after injection of gadolinium. A burr hole was drilled at the thickest section of the lesion, and pathological examination of the bone dust extracted from this site was performed. The pathological study indicated the presence of a meningioma. Right frontal craniectomy was performed and the hyperostotic bone was resected. No invasion was observed at the dura. A calvarial defect was reconstructed during the same session with methyl methacrylate cranioplasty.     

Temporal bone chondroblastoma with secondary aneurysmal bone cyst presenting as an intracranial mass with clinical seizure activity

Chondroblastomas are rare tumors that characteristically arise from the epiphyseal cartilage of long bones of the immature skeleton. Intracranial involvement is uncommon, though the squamous portion of the temporal bone is preferentially affected due to its cartilaginous origin. Patients with temporal bone chondroblastomas classically present with otologic symptoms, while primary neurological complaints are rare. In this report, we describe a 33 year-old man with a chondroblastoma of the temporal bone and an associated aneurysmal bone cyst constituting a large intracranial mass lesion who presented with new-onset seizure activity. We review issues relevant to the pathology and treatment of these lesions.     

An endolymphatic sac tumor with imaging features of aneurysmal bone cysts: differential diagnostic considerations

Background

Endolymphatic sac tumors (ELSTs) are rare, slow-growing tumors of the petrous bone. Despite the typical localisation, their radiological diagnosis can be challenging due to the variety of other tumors potentially showing similar features.

Case report

We present a 16-year-old child with progressive hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus who had a large petrous bone lesion showing imaging features of both ELSTs and aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs). The patient underwent preoperative embolization of the tumor-supplying vessels and subsequently a subtotal resection. Histological examination revealed an ELST.

Conclusion

Despite the rarity of petrous bone ABCs, they should be considered as a differential diagnostic alternative of ELSTs due to their similar imaging appearance.     

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine

Four cases of aneurysmal bone cysts of the spine are described. Problems of nomenclature, pathogenesis, and treatment are discussed with reference to the literature. Complete excision is the treatment of choice whenever possible. However, subtotal excision and adequate spinal decompression followed by radiotherapy provide satisfactory results.     

前颅底动脉瘤样骨囊肿1例并文献复习

目的探讨颅内动脉瘤样骨囊肿的临床特点、影像学特征及治疗方法;提高对颅内动脉瘤样骨囊肿的认识。方法回顾分析中国医科大学附属盛京医院1例经手术、病理检查证实的,前颅底动脉瘤样骨囊肿患儿的临床资料;并对相关文献进行复习。结果患儿行显微镜下手术全切除病变,术中见肿瘤位于硬膜外,广泛分布于颅底,向眶内生长,颅底骨质变性增厚。分块切除肿瘤组织,见肿瘤质韧,色粉红,大小约5 cm×4 cm×3 cm。术后病理检查为动脉瘤样骨囊肿。术后患儿恢复良好,随访1年未见复发。结论颅内动脉瘤样骨囊肿临床非常罕见,病因尚不明确;临床表现与其大小和部位有关,影像学检查有特征性表现,显微镜下手术完整切除病变可获得良好预后。     

Aneurysmal bone cyst concomitant with fibrous dysplasia in the frontal bone

Secondary aneurysmal bone cyst in fibrous dysplasia is exceedingly rare, especially in the skull and particularly in the frontal bone. We present a case of aneurysmal bone cyst concomitant with fibrous dysplasia in the frontal bone in a 15-year-old male patient presenting with headache and euphoria with an uncharacteristic imaging appearance and treated successfully by total resection.     

A case of calvarial aneurysmal bone cyst: transcranial contrast sonographic examination with pulse inversion harmonic imaging method]

A 31-year-old female came to our hospital complaining of left frontal bulging with pain on 10 August 2000. The head x-p showed a radiolucent lesion and bulging at the same calvarial site. CT scan and MRI showed fluid-fluid levels, diploic cyst, deformity and hypertrophic calvarial change. There was a partial hypervascular part of cyst adjacent to the left frontal base by selective left external carotid angiography. Harmonic image is a contrast specific imaging modality that uses the nonlinear properties of contrast agents by transmitting at the fundamental frequency and receiving at multiples of these frequencies. Pulse inversion harmonic image(PIHI) using pulse inversion to eliminate and strengthen the harmonic frequency is more effective than conventional harmonic imaging. Transcranial sonographic examination showed hyper- and hypoechoic appearances in the cyst around abnormal hyperechoic appearances of the calvarial site. The transcranial contrast sonographic images with PIHI (hereinafter TCIpi) demonstrated an enhanced intracystic lower stratum and nearby the diploic part. That modality facilitates better visualization than the harmonic imaging method, enabling differentiation of vascular from avascular areas. As contrast agents are microbubbles, those are restricted in the vascular canal space. So TCIpi findings proved to be a blood circulation of the tumor, cyst and neighboring tissue. Enhanced areas changed by every minute and disappeared gradually. The findings were probably based on the vascular component of the tumor. We obtained images similar to those with CT and MRI. The patient underwent on 21 August. The tumor was removed along with the surrounding skull component. Fresh and old blood were mixed in the cyst. The clinical and pathological diagnosis was aneurysmal bone cyst. The postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on 29 August. Aneurysmal bone cyst is a rare calvarial tumor. An diagnostic finding is fluid-fluid levels that appear in approximately 30% of aneurysmal bone cysts. However, this is not a specific finding and has also been reported to occur in osteosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, fibrous dysplasia, synovial sarcoma, hemangioma and simple bone cyst. Therefore, diagnosis of aneurysmal bone cyst is based on a combination of the various imaging applications, clinical and pathological findings. Gometz reported that sonographic examination was superior to any diagnostic imaging studies for aneurysmal bone cyst. Furthermore, the perfusion examination like TCIpi can directly observe blood circulation channels in tissue, so the specific enhancement changes of aneurysmal bone cyst could be observed. TCIpi is a useful method for diagnosis of aneurysmal bone cyst.     

Fibrous dysplasia in combination with aneurysmal bone cyst presenting as a subarachnoid haemorrhage

Abstract Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a rare tumour, representing 2.5% of all bone tumours and 7% of benign tumours. Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is also an uncommon pathology, usually associated with a secondary vascular lesion consisting of an arteriovenous malformation. In this article, we relate a case report of a young female with a rare combination of FD with aneurysmal bone cyst presenting as a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Despite the possibility of clinical treatment of these lesions, this report demonstrates that symptomatic lesions may be successfully managed by surgical resection. The authors’ opinion is that this treatment should be individualised depending on particularities of each case, such as localisation of the lesion, biopsy results and image exams features. We also present a critical literature review of diagnostic methods and therapeutical options for both ABC and FD, with emphasis on controversial topics surrounding these issues.     

Fibrous Dysplasia with Aneurysmal Bone Cyst Presenting as Painful Solitary Skull lesion

We report a rare case of fibrous dysplasia with the development of a secondary aneurysmal bone cyst presenting as solitary tumor of calvarium. Although fibrous dysplasia with aneurysmal bone cyst is rare, it should be taken into account in differential diagnosis of the osteolytic solitary skull lesion.     

Pediatric giant cell granuloma of the temporal bone: a case report and brief review of the literature.

Giant cell granuloma of the skull base is a distinct rare clinicopathologic lesion, which progressively destroys the involved bone. It causes increased intracranial pressure and mass effect on the brain. Histologically it may mimic an aneurysmal bone cyst, giant cell tumour and the brown tumour of hyperparathyroidism. Although cited by some authors, the role of trauma in its aetiology is still considered controversial. Authors present an interesting case of a 12 year old Omani boy who sustained a cricket bat injury to his right temporal region from which he initially recovered but later on progressively developed vertigo, tinnitus, right hearing loss and a mild right facial weakness. Computed tomography (CT scan) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MR scan) revealed a large destructive lesion of the temporal bone. Microsurgical excision was curative. Interesting clinicoradiological findings are presented with a brief review of the literature.     

A huge occipital osteoblastoma accompanied with aneurysmal bone cyst in the posterior cranial fossa

Osteoblastoma is an infrequent benign tumor and skull involvement is extremely rare. The occipital bone is much less frequently involved. We report an unusual case of a huge occipital osteoblastoma with aneurysmal bone cyst in the posterior cranial fossa of a 20-year-old young man. MRI scan and CT three-dimensional reconstruction revealed that the tumor (approximately 8.5 cm x 6 cm x 5 cm) occupied nearly half volume of the posterior cranial fossa. The cerebellum, the forth ventricle and brain stem were compressed remarkably and hydrocephalus was noted. The tumor mass was multiloculated cystic and highly vascular. Excessive bleeding occurred during operation and total removal was achieved. The patient was symptom-free and MRI scan revealed no evidence of recrudescence after a follow-up period of 18 months. Pathological examination revealed that the lesion was a benign osteoblastoma with secondary aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC). ABC constitutes a highly vascular lesion while complete surgical resection is often impeded by excessive intraoperative bleeding. Preoperative embolization may reduce the risk. Despite the benign nature of osteoblastoma, local recurrence after incomplete resection is not rare and malignant transformation during recurrence may occur even after adequate surgery. Our case confirms the findings of previous investigators that if osteoblastoma is removed completely, no recurrence is expected even without adjuvant irradiation and chemotherapy.     

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the orbit : a case report with literature review

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is benign vascular lesion destructing the cortical bone by the expansion of the vascular channel in the diploic space that usually involve long bone and spine. Orbital ABC is rare and the clinical symptoms deteriorate rapidly after initial slow-progression period for a few months. A 12-year-old female patient visited ophthalmologist due to proptosis and upward gaze limitation of the right eye, and orbital mass was noted in the upper part of right eye on orbital MRI. Five months later, exophthalmos was worsened rapidly with other features of ophthalmoplegia. Orbital mass was enlarged on MRI with intracranial extension. Surgery was done through frontal craniotomy and intracranial portion of the tumor was removed. Destructed orbital roof and mass in the orbit was also removed, and surrounding bone which was suspected to have lesion was resected as much as possible. Histopathological diagnosis was aneurysmal bone cyst. Postoperative course was satisfactory and the patient's eye symptoms improved. Authors report a rare case of orbital ABC with review of the literature. Exact diagnosis by imaging studies is important and it is recommended to perform surgical resection before rapid-progressing period and to resect the mass completely to prevent recurrence.     

Giant intradiploic epidermoid cyst of the occipital bone

A rare case of giant intradiploic epidermoid cyst of the occipital bone with large intracranial extension in the posterior fossa is described. The lesion was discovered when the patient presented with headache and subcutaneous swelling in the occipital region, in the absence of signs of neurological involvement. CT scan showed extensive destruction of the occipital bone, mainly of the inner table, up to the foramen magnum. On MRI the lesion was hypointense in T(1) and hyperintense in T(2)-weighted images; signal inhomogeneity was due to cellular debris and cholesterol crystals. The enhancing rim due to the thickened dura confirmed the extradural location. Complete removal of the cyst was easily accomplished despite its large size. We found only 3 documented cases in the literature of giant intradiploic infratentorial epidermoid cysts, none of which was studied by MRI. The radiological features and differential diagnosis are discussed.     

Craniovertebral junction neoplasms in the pediatric population

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of tumors at the craniovertebral junction in the pediatric population is low. Because of the variable pathology and the rarity of these tumors, ideal therapies are only now being defined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight children with tumors affecting the craniocervical junction were encountered between 1991 and 2006. These comprised neoplasms of osseous origin and neural extramedullary tumors. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Chordomas of the clivus and foramen magnum were seen in eight, fibrous dysplasia in four, aneurysmal bone cysts in four, eosinophilic granuloma affecting the atlas and axis vertebra in four, Ewing's sarcoma involving the atlas in two, osteoblastoma in two, neurenteric cysts in four, meningioma in five, schwannoma in two, and plexiform neurofibromas in three. The location of these tumors was predominantly ventral, and a very small number had a lateral or dorsal location. The ventral tumors included chordoma, meningioma, fibrous dysplasia, aneurysmal bone cyst, and osteoblastoma. Plexiform neurofibroma affecting the craniocervical junction was ventral to the clivus and upper cervical spine causing severe kyphosis of the craniocervical region. Pain in the head and neck occurred in 70%. Paresthesias and dysesthesias in the hands were seen in 40% and spastic weakness of extremities in 22%. Cranial nerve palsies were seen in 33%. Twenty-eight percent of children showed dysphagia or dysarthria. The cranial nerves affected were the vagus followed by hypoglossal and glossopharyngeal nerves. This led to dysphagia, slurred speech, repeated aspiration pneumonia, and weight loss. The most common findings for chordomas at the craniocervical junction were isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy. All individuals underwent magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and 3D computed tomography and angiography. Vertebral angiography was used to understand the dynamics of collateral circulation and tumor vascularity. Tumor embolization was performed in chordoma and aneurysmal bone cysts. Our experience and results are presented here.     

Frontal bone and epidural tuberculosis

Cranial bone and epidural tuberculosis is rare manifestation extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The incidence of tuberculosis of calvaria is on the rise in developing countries because of malnutrition, poor socioeconomic conditions, and immunodeficiency. We present the clinical features, radiology, histopathology, and surgical findings of a case of tuberculosis of the frontal bone with epidural extension. A 46 year-old female had presented with a history of painless right frontal swelling for the previous 4 months. The patient was operated on at a peripheral center for swelling in the right frontal region. In postoperative period, a leak that did not reply to nonspecific antibiotic therapy developed on the lesion. Right frontal epidural effusion was found in the patient who presented our clinic. Histopathological and microbiological examination suggested a diagnosis of tuberculosis.     

Cystic Giant Sacral Schwannoma Mimicking Aneurysmal Bone Cyst : A Case Report and Review of Literatures

To present a rare case of a cystic giant schwannoma of the sacrum mimicking aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC). A 54-year-old man visited our institute complaining left leg weakness and sensory change for several years. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large multilocular cystic mass with canal invasion and bone erosion confined to left S1 body. The lesion showed multiple septal enhancement without definite solid component. Initially the tumor was considered as ABC. The patient underwent grossly-total tumor resection with lumbosacral reconstruction via posterior approach. The tumor was proved to be a cystic schwannoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was relieved from preoperative symptoms. We present a rare case of pure cystic giant schwannoma confined to sacrum mimicking ABC. The surgical treatment is challenging due to the complex anatomy of the sacrum. Schwannoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of osteolytic sacral cysts.     

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the skull

The case of a 6 year old girl with aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) presenting as a subperiosteal hematoma is reported. Postoperative computerized tomography revealed a new multicystic lesion suggestive of ABC which disappeared spontaneously about 1 month after the operation. The slowly progressing process and spontaneous disappearance of ABC in this case may be noteworthy when considering the surgical indication of this pathology.