Medical Specialty:
Radiology

Sample Name: Arachnoid Cyst


Description: CT Brain - arachnoid cyst Arachnoid cyst diagnosed by CT brain.
(Medical Transcription Sample Report)


CC: Seizures.

HX: The patient was initially evaluated at UIHC at 7 years of age. He had been well until 7 months prior to evaluation when he started having spells which were described as "dizzy spells" lasting from several seconds to one minute in duration. They occurred quite infrequently and he was able to resume activity immediately following the episodes. The spell became more frequent and prolonged, and by the time of initial evaluation were occurring 2-3 times per day and lasting 2-3 minutes in duration. In addition, in the 3 months prior to evaluation, the right upper extremity would become tonic and flexed during the episodes, and he began to experience post ictal fatigue.

BIRTH HX: 32 weeks gestation to a G4 mother and weighed 4#11oz. He was placed in an incubator for 3 weeks. He was jaundiced, but there was no report that he required treatment.

PMH: Single febrile convulsion lasting "3 hours" at age 2 years.

MEDS: none.

EXAM: Appears healthy and in no acute distress. Unremarkable general and neurologic exam.

Impression: Psychomotor seizures.

Studies: Skull X-Rays were unremarkable.

EEG showed "minimal spike activity during hyperventilation, as well as random sharp delta activity over the left temporal area, in drowsiness and sleep. This record also showed moderate amplitude asymmetry ( left greater than right) over the frontal central and temporal areas, which is a peculiar finding."

COURSE: The patient was initially treated with Phenobarbital; then Dilantin was added (early 1970's); then Depakene was added ( early 1980's) due to poor seizure control. An EEG on 8/22/66 showed "Left mid-temporal spike focus with surrounding slow abnormality, especially posterior to the anterior temporal areas (sparing the parasagittal region). In addition, the right lateral anterior hemisphere voltage is relatively depressed. ...this suggests two separate areas of cerebral pathology." He underwent his first HCT scan in Sioux City in 1981, and this revealed an right temporal arachnoid cyst. The patient had behavioral problems throughout elementary/junior high/high school. He underwent several neurosurgical evaluations at UIHC and Mayo Clinic and was told that surgery was unwarranted. He was placed on numerous antiepileptic medication combinations including Tegretol, Dilantin, Phenobarbital, Depakote, Acetazolamide, and Mysoline. Despite this he averaged 2-3 spells a month. He was last seen, 6/19/95, and was taking Dilantin and Tegretol. His typical spells were described as sudden in onset and without aura. He frequently becomes tonic or undergoes tonic-clonic movement and falls with associated loss of consciousness. He usually has rapid recovery and can return to work in 20 minutes. He works at a Turkey packing plant. Serial HCT scans showed growth in the arachnoid cyst until 1991, when growth arrest appeared to have occurred.


Keywords: radiology, arachnoid cyst, hct scan, seizures, serial hct scans, dizzy spells, drowsiness, hyperventilation, loss of consciousness, moderate amplitude asymmetry, temporal area, tonic-clonic movement, phenobarbital, dilantin, cyst, temporal, arachnoid,