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Do arachnoid cysts grow? A retrospective volumetric study

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Abstract

Objective

Arachnoid cysts (ACs) are frequent incidental findings and may be associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Usually growth of the ACs with pressure on adjacent brain tissue is regarded as cause of the symptoms. This study was undertaken to identify if and which ACs grow with time.

Methods

We used a large database of cranial MRIs for a retrospective analysis.

Results

During a period of 10 years, we collected 166 ACs of 50 persons, mean observational period was 2.5 years. Among these, only larger cysts at the temporal pole, i.e., Galassi II ACs, grew with a rate of 0.3 ml a year (β = 0.32, SE 0.07, p = 0.003); all other ACs remained constant in size or became smaller. All cysts were clinically silent.

Conclusions

Most ACs remain constant in size or become smaller.

Classification of evidence

This study provides Class III evidence that the majority of arachnoid cysts does not grow.

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Data availability

Data are available upon reasonable request.

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Funding

There was no special funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Central Military Hospital Koblenz, 56072, Koblenz, Germany

    Sven Kühn

  2. Department of Radiology, German Air Force Center of Aerospace Medicine, 82242, Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany

    Sven-Erik Sönksen

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, German Air Force Center of Aerospace Medicine, 82242, Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany

    Frank Jakobs

  4. Tactical Wing 33 German Air Force, 56809, Cochem, Germany

    Yvonne Zschommler

  5. Department of Research and Development, German Air Force Center of Aerospace Medicine, 82242, Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany

    Frank Weber

Authors
  1. Sven Kühn
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  2. Sven-Erik Sönksen
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  3. Frank Jakobs
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  4. Yvonne Zschommler
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  5. Frank Weber
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Contributions

SK: major role in the acquisition of data, design of the study. S-ES: major role in the acquisition of data. FJ: analysis and interpretation of the data, conceptualization of the study, revising the manuscript for intellectual content. YZ: acquisition of data, design of the study, construction database. FW: analysis and interpretation of the data, conceptualization of the study, drafting the manuscript, revising the manuscript for intellectual content. FW and FJ conducted the statistical analysis.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frank Weber.

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Conflicts of interest

All authors: no financial or other conflict of interests that might bias their work. There are no disclosures. All authors are active military medical officers in the German Air Force

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the ethical committee of the Bavarian Medical Association.

Additional information

This study is a part of the doctoral thesis of Y. Zschommler.

This paper represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily the opinion of the Surgeon General of the German Air Force or of the German Department of Defense.

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Kühn, S., Sönksen, SE., Jakobs, F. et al. Do arachnoid cysts grow? A retrospective volumetric study. J Neurol 268, 3777–3780 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-021-10440-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-021-10440-w

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