Giant cerebral cysticercosis in an infant confused with a thalamic glioma.
Neurocysticercosis is a common parasitic infection of the central nervous system. Intraparenchymal giant cysticercosis has been described in literature, but this is a rare report of a thalamic giant cysticercosis in a young child where the diagnosis could be made on follow-up. A 1½-year-old male child presented with seizures, hemiparesis, and features of raised intracranial pressure. Initial neuroimaging findings of thalamic swelling with minimal edema and contrast enhancement with choline peak on magnetic resonance spectroscopy were attributed to thalamic glioma. Subsequent imaging revealed a ring enhancing lesion with an eccentric nodule suggestive of neurocysticercosis. It later resolved with residual gliosis. The presence of a pathognomic scolex and the resolution of size and symptoms without definitive treatment helped in making the diagnosis. This report reinforces the importance of considering cysticercosis in diagnosis of acute presentations of large cerebral masses in infants, particularly in prevalent regions, and emphasizes the follow-up of these patients.
Department of Pediatrics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Aliza
A
Mittal
Department of Pediatrics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, India sehgal_rachna@hotmail.com.
Rachna
R
Sehgal
Department of Pediatrics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Binit
B
Sureka
Department of Radio-diagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Atin
A
Kumar
Department of Pediatrics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Kailash Chandra
KC
Aggarwal
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005910:Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005911:Gliosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
follow-up; neurocysticercosis; thalamus