CNS & pituitary tumors
Cysts
Choroid plexus cyst
Author: Eman Abdelzaher, M.D., Ph.D.
Last author update: 1 February 2012
Last staff update: 27 July 2020
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Choroid plexus cyst [title]
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Sites | Clinical features | Radiology description | Radiology images | Case reports | Clinical images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Positive stains | Negative stainsCite this page: Abdelzaher E. Choroid plexus cyst. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/cnstumorchoroidplexuscyst.html. Accessed April 24th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Small cyst of choroid plexus containing CSF
Sites
- May be present throughout ventricular system but usually in glomus of lateral ventricles
Clinical features
- More prevalent in fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities (trisomy 18, trisomy 21, Aicardi syndrome)
- Common form affect fetuses in 1% of pregnancies; usually asymptomatic, resolves spontaneously by birth but large cysts can cause hydrocephalus
- Chromosomal abnormalities, specifically trisomy 18, should be considered if cysts are large ( > 1 cm), bilateral or irregular or if maternal age ≥ 32 years (AJR Am J Roentgenol 2009;192:32)
- In adults, usually asymptomatic, incidental postmortem finding
Radiology description
- On CT and MRI, usually show CSF density
Radiology images
Images hosted on other servers:
MR shows small cyst
Case reports
- 20 week male fetus without any chromosomal abnormality (AJR Am J Roentgenol 2009;192:32)
- 53 year old woman with small lesion at foramen of Monro (Am J Neuroradiology 2002;23:841)
Clinical images
Images hosted on other servers:
Cyst at foramen of Monro
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Cyst wall lined by cuboidal to columnar epithelium with occasional cobblestone appearance typical of normal choroid plexus
- Some are devoid of epithelial lining
Positive stains
- Cyst lining has same immunohistochemical profile as normal choroid plexus: positive for vimentin, cytokeratin, S100, transthyretin, synaptophysin
