A Rare Case of Presacral Epidermoid Cyst in an Adult Male: Emphasis on Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Sequences in Preoperative Imaging

Abstract

License CC-BY 3.0., which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Epidermoid cyst of the presacral space is a rare congenital lesion of ectodermal origin. Presacral epidermoid cysts have been previously reported in women, however are extremely rare in males. We report a case of presacral epidermoid cyst in a 55-year-old male who presented to our emergency department with acute urinary retention and history of chronic constipation. A non-contrast computed tomography scan was performed with suspicion of urolithiasis, which revealed a well circumscribed low attenuation presacral mass. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvis was subsequently performed to further characterize the lesion. The mass was returning hypointense T1 and hyperintense T2 signals with few foci of T2 hypointensities. There was no post-contrast enhancement; however the lesion was showing diffusion restriction, appearing hyperintense on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and hypointense on the corresponding apparent diffusion coefficient map. These imaging features were consistent with an epidermoid cyst. Laparotomy with complete surgical excision of the cyst and preservation of the adjacent structures was performed. The histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of MRI with additional sequences of diffusion weighted imaging which can be helpful to differentiate, to a good degree of confidence, among different pelvic tumors, therefore obviating the need of biopsy before surgery.