Multiple primary hydatid cysts of the brain.

A rare case of multiple primary hydatid cysts of the brain is presented in a 15-year-old boy. The largest of the seven cysts located on the right hemisphere measured six cm across, while the smallest one was one cm in diameter. Detailed studies revealed no evidence of hydatid disease elsewhere in the body. The growth rate of an untreated cyst was about ten cm per year determined by follow-up computerized tomography. Since the only treatment of cerebral hydatid cysts is surgery, with removal of the cysts intact, surgical intervention should be considered in every case, even in the event of multiple recurrences.