Respiratory epithelial cyst ventral to the brain stem. Report of a case and review of the literature.
We present the case of a 30-year-old woman who suddenly developed intense occipital headaches. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a cyst located ventrally to the brain stem at the pontomedullary junction. The lesion was resected. Histologically, it was lined by a pseudostratified, ciliated, columnar epithelium indistinguishable from respiratory epithelium. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy confirmed the epithelial differentiation of the lining. This case is briefly compared with the few other brain-stem cysts presented in the literature and the concept of their "origin" is discussed.
Albrecht
S
S
Department of Pathology, Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030.
Robertson
D P
DP
Goodman
J C
JC
Harper
R L
RL
D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D001933:Brain Stem; D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000473:pathology