title: Management of intracranial tuberculoma in children.
abstract: Thirty-one patients were studied during a period of 3 years in order to identify features helpful for the diagnosis of tuberculoma. Sixteen had a history of pyrexia, 4 had had contact with cases of tuberculosis, the tuberculin test was positive in 15, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was elevated in 23, and 5 had concomitant tuberculous infections. Three had multiple lesions and 10 showed CT scan features suggestive of tuberculoma. Nineteen patients were successfully treated with drugs alone; seven needed surgery because they failed to respond to drugs clinically or because CT indicated no improvement. One patient proved to have a tumor, having shown an absence of response to drugs; four were operated on without drug trial because they were thought to have a tumor, and 1 needed surgery because of the mass effect of a very large tuberculoma. Infratentorial lesions associated with hydrocephalus were treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunts.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014375:Tuberculoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents