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Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1996 Aug;61(2):200–202. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.61.2.200

A special form of cerebral lacunae: expanding lacunae.

P Homeyer 1, P Cornu 1, L Lacomblez 1, J Chiras 1, C Derouesné 1
PMCID: PMC1073998  PMID: 8708692

Abstract

The case of a 42 year old man with headache, blurred vision, and diplopia allowed the description of a particular form of cerebral lacunae-that is, expanding lacunae. Brain MRI showed hydrocephalus and multiple lesions in the thalamomesencephalic region. The radiological features of these lesions were similar to the histological brain coronal section of a case reported in 1983 in which expanding lacunae were related to a dilatation of the perivascular spaces and a focal segmental necrotising angiitis. The role of the lymphatic drainage of the brain is discussed to explain the dilatation of the perivascular spaces. The hypothesis of a hydrodynamic factor being responsible for the expanding character of the lacunae was suggested by the location of the lesions and the influence of various clinical events on the symptomatology.

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