eMedicine Specialties > Radiology > Brain/Spine

Dermoid Tumor, CNS: Follow-up

Author: Conway Lien, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Coauthor(s): Mahesh R Patel, MD, Chief of MRI, Department of Radiology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 2, 2007

Intervention

The treatment goal for dermoid and epidermoid tumors is complete surgical excision. Resectability depends on the location of the tumor, as well as on the extent of the tumor's encroachment and on its inflammatory attachment to adjacent blood vessels and nerves.

Scalp tumors and intradiploic tumors of the skull are easier to excise completely than are intracranial tumors. Chemical meningitis may occur during removal of the dermoid or epidermoid tumor if its contents spill into the subarachnoid or ventricular spaces.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are not useful in the management of these tumors.

Patient Education:

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Procedures Center. See also eMedicine's patient education article Dermoid Cyst Removal.

 


More on Dermoid Tumor, CNS

Overview: Dermoid Tumor, CNS
Imaging: Dermoid Tumor, CNS
Follow-up: Dermoid Tumor, CNS
Multimedia: Dermoid Tumor, CNS
References
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References

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  2. Calabrò F, Capellini C, Jinkins JR. Rupture of spinal dermoid tumors with spread of fatty droplets in the cerebrospinal fluid pathways. Neuroradiology. Aug 2000;42(8):572-9. [Medline].

  3. Chen S, Ikawa F, Kurisu K, et al. Quantitative MR evaluation of intracranial epidermoid tumors by fast fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging and echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. Jun-Jul 2001;22(6):1089-96. [Medline]. [Full Text].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

dermoids, dermoid cysts, inclusion cysts, congenital epidermoid tumors, acquired epidermoid tumors, brain tumor, spinal dermoid tumors

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Conway Lien, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Conway Lien, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Mahesh R Patel, MD, Chief of MRI, Department of Radiology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Mahesh R Patel, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Hugh J Robertson, MD, DMR, FRCPC, FRCR, FACR, Professor Emeritus, Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine; Clinical Professor, Department of Radiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, University Hospital
Hugh J Robertson, MD, DMR, FRCPC, FRCR, FACR is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Neuroradiology, Louisiana State Medical Society, Radiological Society of North America, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Royal College of Radiologists, and Royal Society of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Bernard D Coombs, MB, ChB, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Robert M Krasny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
Robert M Krasny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

James G Smirniotopoulos, MD, Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and Biomedical Informatics, Chairman, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
James G Smirniotopoulos, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Head and Neck Radiology, American Society of Neuroradiology, American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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