2023 Volume 32 Issue 2 Pages 118-126
We report a rare case of mature teratoma in the posterior cranial fossa with clinical and imaging findings consistent with dermoid/epidermoid cyst. A 17-year-old male presented with persistent headache after head trauma and a cerebellar tumor was incidentally found. MRI showed a cystic lesion with diffusion restriction in the left cerebellar hemisphere. Hair was observed intraoperatively, which suggested a diagnosis of dermoid cyst. However, histopathological examination revealed a mesodermal component, and the final diagnosis was mature teratoma. Definitive diagnosis based on histopathological findings is important because the different characteristics of mature teratoma and dermoid/epidermoid cyst imply different prognosis for the patient and requirement for postoperative adjuvant therapy. In addition, mature teratoma requires careful follow-up because of the possibility of malignant transformation and recurrence.
