Spinal arachnoid cysts in children.

Five cases of benign spinal arachnoid cysts in children are described with their clinical, neuroradiological, surgical and pathological findings. Intraspinal benign arachnoid cysts may be confidently diagnosed myelographically when there is complete or partial obstruction with multiple oily contrast/cerebrospinal fluid levels as in 3 cases in this series. The multiple fluid levels are probably produced by multiple cysts or a cyst loculated due to partial compression by arachnoid bands either related to the normal septum posticum, congenital or acquired adhesion rather than to trabeculations within the cyst. In this series, the origin of the cysts is considered to be congenital.