Clinical profile of intracranial space occupying lesions in children

Abstract

Of 164 pediatric patients with intracranial space occupying lesions 106 had intracranial tumours, 29 abscesses, 14 tuberculomas, 12 traumatic hematomas, two subdural hygromas and one arachnoidal cyst. Maximum number of cases were in the age group of 6–10 years and males were predominantly affected (2.2∶1). The infratentorial lesions were more than the supratentorial ones (52.4% vs 47.6%). Difficulty in walking, incordination, papilledema and cranial nerve palsies were more marked in infratentorial lesions whereas, optic atrophy and motor deficits were more frequent in supratentorial lesions. Plain skiagram of skull, echoencephalography, angiography and ventriculography were very helpful to localise the lesions.