Atypical radiological findings in cerebral hydatid disease

Abstract

Cerebral hydatid disease is very rare, representing only 2% of all cerebral space occupying lesions. The diagnosis is usually based on a pathognomonic CT pattern. Exceptionally, the image is atypical raising suspicion of many differential diagnoses such as intracerebral infectious, vascular lesions, or tumors. We report 2 atypical cases of cerebral hydatid cysts diagnosed in a 21, and a 24-year-old woman. The CT scan results suggest oligodendroglioma in the first case and brain abscess in the second. An MRI was helpful in the diagnosis of the 2 cases. Both patients underwent successful surgery with a good outcome. The hydatid nature of the cyst was confirmed by histology in both cases.