title: Cavernous malformation of the optic chiasm: An uncommon location.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cavernous malformations (CMs) of the optic chiasm are rare lesions often presenting with acute chiasmal syndrome or a progressive visual loss. The case of a 48-year-old female with an intrachiasmatic CM is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient presented with an insidious history of progressive visual loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a CM in the suprasellar region. The patient was operated via a right pterional approach with a complete lesion removal. The postoperative course was uneventful. Early postoperative ophthalmological examination revealed minimal improvement of the vision in the left eye.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical, neuroradiological, and intraoperative findings are presented, along with a review of the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alafaci
authors.affiliation: Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BIONEC), Section of Neurosurgery, University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cutugno
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Salpietro
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomasello
keywords: Cavernous hemangioma; optic chiasm; optic nerve