Intracranial Neurenteric Cyst in a Patient with Acute Unilateral Thalamic Infarction.

Unlabelled: Intracranial neurenteric cysts are rare congenital lesions that can be mistaken for other lesions. They may contain mucous or serous glands, smooth muscle, lymphoid tissue and components of connective tissue. We report a case of neurenteric cyst which was detected accidentally by diagnostic imaging in the context of a thalamus infarct in a 45-year-old woman. We also discuss the results of a brief literature review and the pathological findings, imaging spectrum, evaluation and management of neurenteric cysts and thalamic infarctions.

Learning Points: Neurenteric cysts are a rare type of foregut duplication cyst that are classified as intracranial or spinal and are associated with central nervous system abnormalities.Neurenteric cysts are usually benign and slow-growing, so conservative treatment can be provided if there are no symptoms.Thalamic stroke may be caused by arterial or venous infarction.Cardioembolism is the most common cause of thalamus infarction; variations in blood supply to the thalamus should be investigated in affected patients.