Mega Cisterna Magna Symptoms, Causes, Headache, Treatment

Mega cisterna magna is the subarachnoid space anomaly. In this condition, subarachnoid space containing cerebro spinal fluid shows focal enlargement in the inferior and posterior side of posterior cranial fossa. It is diagnosed accidentally during neuroimaging of brain. Once it is diagnosed, further diagnosis or imaging is not required. It is a rare disease. There is approximately 1 percent chance of mega cisterna magna in every brain postnatal imaging. It may occur secondary to various pathological conditions like inflammation, infection (commonly cytomegalovirus), infarction and abnormalities in chromosome specially trisomy 18. If it is associated with normal ventricles, then the survival rate is greater.

Mega Cisterna Magna Symptoms


Mega cisterna magna is a non pathological enlargement of subarachnoid space. Cerebrospinal fluid is present in subarachnoid space. So it does not show any symptoms. As it is asymptomatic, so it cannot be diagnosed. If it is secondary to any pathological condition, then symptoms may appear. Headache is considered the common symptom related to mega cisterna magna. Other symptoms appearing will be associated with the root cause. Enlargement of subarachnoid space can be pathological if it is secondary to disease related to central nervous system. So symptoms vary in that case.

Mega Cisterna Magna Symptoms, Causes, Headache, Treatment

Mega Cisterna Magna Causes


Mega cisterna magna is the enlargement of subarachnoid space containing cerebrospinal fluid. It is a non pathological enlargement of retrocerebellar cerebrospinal fluid space. It may occur due to infection or inflammation in cerebrospinal fluid. Abnormality in chromosome can lead to retrocerebellar CSF space. But it can be pathological if it is secondary to pathological conditions like arachnoid cyst, cerebellar atrophy, cerebellar hypoplasia, dandy Walker malformation, epidermoid cyst, Blake pouch cyst and pilocytic astrocytoma. All the above mentioned conditions leads to enlargement of retrocerebellar cerebrospinal fluid space that's why accurate diagnosis is required for selecting best treatment option.

Mega Cisterna Magna Headache


Mega cisterna magna is asymptomatic condition and is diagnosed during imaging of nervous system. As it is asymptomatic, so it does not show any of the symptoms. In some cases patient complains about headache and strain at the back side of head. Headache may be due to the presence of chiari. Chiari may cause problems in cerebrospinal fluid flow causing headache. Patient feels headache due to increased pressure of cerebrospinal fluid. In this case, surgery is performed to treat chiari and headache. So it is concluded that headache have nothing to do with mega cisterna magna.

Mega Cisterna Magna Treatment


Mega cisterna magna is a non pathological condition so it does not require treatment or surgical intervention at all. It does not cause problems in cerebrospinal fluid or related structures so treatment is not necessary. In case of severe headache, some analgesics are prescribed. In case of chiari, surgery is performed to treat headache. If it occurs secondary to any pathological condition mentioned in causes section, then treatment is planned to treat the root cause so that enlargement of retrocerebellar cerebrospinal fluid space can be treated. This is all about treatment of mega cisterna magna.
Mega Cisterna Magna Symptoms, Causes, Headache, Treatment Mega Cisterna Magna Symptoms, Causes, Headache, Treatment Reviewed by Simon Albert on August 10, 2017 Rating: 5
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