Abstract

Dermoid cysts are rare benign tumors with even rarer intracranial locations. We report the case of a post-traumatic rupture of a left temporal dermoid cyst in a 17-year-old patient who was admitted to the emergency department following a road traffic accident. A CT scan fortuitously revealed a left internal temporal extra-axial lesion with fat density, communicating with material of the same characteristics in the subarachnoid spaces and along the falx cerebri, suggesting a ruptured dermoid cyst. An MRI confirmed the diagnosis by clearly identifying the fatty component of the cyst extending to the subarachnoid spaces. This case illustrates the role of imaging, particularly MRI, in the diagnosis of dermoid cysts.

Key words: Dermoid cyst, Post-traumatic rupture, Computed tomography (CT), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Intracranial cysts, Neurological complications