Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Intracranial lipomas

  • Clinical Articles
  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Intracranial lipomas are very rare, probably congenital lesions. Though they can occur anywhere in the intracranial space, a good proportion of cases tend to be located around the midline. Review of the literature as well as our own three cases — which forms the basis of this article — shows that they are mostly asymptomatic. When symptoms occur, they are frequently the result of coexisting general clinical conditions. Lipomas used to be reported mainly as incidental findings at autopsy. Advances in neuro-imaging techniques have vastly improved the likelihood of their being discovered during life. At present however, significant increase in the reported incidence of these tumours is yet to be seen. Surgical extirpation of the tumour is not considered necessary in the majority of patients, many of whom show remarkable clinical improvement following shunt procedures for obstructive hydrocephalus as well as treatment of coexisting conditions such as epilepsy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Budka H (1974) Intracranial lipomatous hamartomas (intracranial “lipomas”): a study of 13 cases including combinations with medulloblastoma, colloid and epidermoid cysts, angiomatosis and other malformations. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 28: 205–222

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cascino JP, Lake F, Jackson C, Kaplan A (1958) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. J Int Coll Surg 29: 171–174

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Clarici G, Heppner F (1979) The operative approach to lipomas of the corpus callosum. Neurochirurgia 22: 77–81

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Cooper WC, von Hagen KO (1962) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. Report of a case. Bull Los Angeles Neurol Soc 27: 39–44

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ewing J (1940) Neoplastic disease, 4th edn. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 195

    Google Scholar 

  6. Faerber EN, Wolpert SM (1978) The value of computed tomography in the diagnosis of intracranial lipomata. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2: 297–299

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Flamm ES, Ransohoff J, Wuchinich D, Broadwin A (1978) Preliminary experience with ultrasonic aspiration in neurosurgery. Neurosurgery 2: 240–245

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Fukui M, Tanaka A, Kitamura K, Okudera T (1977) Lipoma of the cerebello-pontine angle. Case report. J Neurosurg 46: 544–547

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Gerber SS, Plotkin R (1982) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. Case report. J Neurosurg 57: 281–285

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hamalgyi GM, Evans WA (1978) Lipoma of the quadrigeminal plate causing progressive obstructive hydrocephalus. Case report. J Neurosurg 49: 453–456

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hatashita S, Sakakibara T, Shozo I (1983) Lipoma of the insula. Case report. J Neurosurg 58: 300–302

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hayashi T, Shyojima K, Honda E, Hashimoto T (1984) Lipoma of corpus callosum associated with frontoethmoidal lipomeningocele: CT findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr 8: 795–796

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Henschen F (1955) Tumoren des Zentralnervensystems und seiner Hüllen. In: Lubarsch O, Henke F, Rossl R (eds) Handbuch der speziellen pathologischen Anatomie und Histologie, Band 3. Springer, Berlin Göttingen Heidelberg, pp 413–1040

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kazner E, Stochdorph O, Wende S, Grumme T (1980) Intracranial lipoma. Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations. J Neurosurg 52: 234–245

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Krainer L (1935) Hirn- und Rückenmarkslipome. Virchows Arch Pathol Anat 295: 107–142

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kudoh H, Sakamoto K, Kobayashi N (1984) Lipomas in the corpus callosum and the forehead, associated with a frontal bone defect. Surg Neurol 22: 503–508

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Larsen JL, Stiris G (1970) Lipoma of the corpus callosum with atypical calcification. Br J Radiol 43: 576–577

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. List CF, Holt JF, Everett M (1946) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. A clinicopathologic study. Am J Roentgenol 55: 125–134

    Google Scholar 

  19. Manganiello LOJ, Daniel EF, Hair LQ (1966) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. Case report. J Neurosurg 24: 892–894

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Mori K (1985) Lipomas. In: Nadjmi M, Piepgras U, Vogelsang H (eds) Anomalies of the central nervous system. Thieme-Stratton Inc, New York, pp 207

    Google Scholar 

  21. Mori K, Kamimura Y, Uchida Y, Kurisaka M, Eguchi S (1986) Large intramedullary lipoma of the cervical cord and posterior fossa. Case report. J Neurosurg 64: 974–976.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. New PFJ, Scott WR (1975) Computed tomography of the brain and orbit (EMI Scanning). Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, pp 397

    Google Scholar 

  23. Rokitansky C (1856) Lehrbuch der pathologischen Anatomie, Vol 2. Wilhelm Braumüller, Vienna, pp 468

    Google Scholar 

  24. Roukkula M, Anttinen EE (1962) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. Clinical and roentgenological aspect. Ann Chir Gyn Fenn 51: 228–237

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Russell DS, Rubinstein LJ (1963) Pathology of tumours of the nervous system, 2nd edn. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, pp 22–23

    Google Scholar 

  26. Schmid AH (1973) A lipoma of the cerebellum. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 26: 75–80

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sosman MC (1946) Discussion of Echternacht AP, Campbell JA: Midline anomalies of the brain. Their diagnosis by pneumoencephalography. Radiology 46: 119–131

    Google Scholar 

  28. Sutton D (1949) The radiological diagnosis of lipoma of the corpus callosum. Br J Radiol 22: 534–539

    Google Scholar 

  29. Szwaykowski W, Szmurlo J, Tomczyk H, Dudek H (1974) A rare case of the corpus callosum in a 12-year-old boy. Pol Przegl Radiol I Med MUKL 38: 491–495

    Google Scholar 

  30. Tahmouresie A, Kroll G, Shucart W (1979) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. Surg Neurol 11: 31–35

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Wallace D (1976) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 39: 1179–1185

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Wolpert SM, Carter BL, Ferris EJ (1972) Lipomas of the corpus callosum: an angiographie analysis. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med 115: 92–99

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Yalcin S, Fragoyannis S (1966) Intracranial lipoma. Case report. J Neurosurg 24: 895–897

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Zee C-S, McComb JG, Segall HD (1981) Lipoma of the corpus callosum associated with frontal dysraphism. J Comput Assist Tomogr 5: 201–205

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Zettner A, Netsky MG (1960) Lipoma of the corpus callosum. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 19: 305–319

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Zülch KJ (1956) Biologie und Pathologie der Hirngeschwülste. In: Olivecrona H, Tönnis W (eds) Pathologische Anatomie der raumbeengenden intrakraniellen Prozesse. Handbuch der Neurochirurgie, Vol 3. Springer, Berlin Göttingen Heidelberg, pp 496–500

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku City, Japan

    P. O. Eghwrudjakpor, M. Kurisaka, M. Fukuoka & K. Mori

Authors
  1. P. O. Eghwrudjakpor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Kurisaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Fukuoka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Mori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eghwrudjakpor, P.O., Kurisaka, M., Fukuoka, M. et al. Intracranial lipomas. Acta neurochir 110, 124–128 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01400679

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01400679

Keywords

Search

Navigation