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Arachnoid cysts on magnetic resonance imaging: just an incidental finding?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2020

L Li ,
F Begbie ,
N Grimmond  and
G Kontorinis
L Li
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
F Begbie
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
N Grimmond
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
G Kontorinis*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Mr Georgios Kontorinis, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, 1345 Govan Road, GlasgowG51 4TF, Scotland, UK E-mail: gkontorinis@gmail.com Fax: +44 141 347 8029
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Abstract

Objective

To determine the clinical significance of arachnoid cysts.

Methods

The scans of 6978 patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging of the internal acoustic meatus for unilateral cochleovestibular symptoms were retrospectively reviewed. We identified the scans with arachnoid cysts, and assessed the statistical associations between the laterality, location and size of the arachnoid cyst, the laterality of symptoms, the patients’ age and gender.

Results

In a total of 37 arachnoid cysts identified in 36 patients (0.5 per cent), no associations were identified between the laterality of symptoms and the laterality of the arachnoid cyst, regardless of its size or location. There were no significant associations between the location of the arachnoid cyst and the age (p = 0.99) or gender of the patient (p = 0.13), or size (p = 0.656) or side of the cyst (p = 0.61). None of the cysts with repeat imaging scans (17 cysts) demonstrated growth.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that most, if not all, arachnoid cysts are of no clinical significance. Given their indolent behaviour, even serial imaging is not essential.

Keywords

BrainstemDizzinessHearing LossMagnetic Resonance ImagingVertigo
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 134 , Issue 5 , May 2020 , pp. 424 - 430
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited, 2020

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Footnotes

Mr G Kontorinis takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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