Investigation and management of suprasellar arachnoid cysts

Abstract

✓ Suprasellar arachnoid cysts, although rare, are now being found with increasing frequency with the help of the computerized tomography (CT) scanner. Forty-six cases have been reviewed from the literature, and the authors add eight patients seen at their institution during the past 6 years. This latter group have all been diagnosed by CT scan combined with an injection of metrizamide through an implanted diversionary cerebrospinal fluid shunt. Patients in whom the suprasellar arachnoid cyst had produced hydrocephalus were treated by communicating the cyst with the ventricular system via a transcallosal route, with very satisfactory results.