ArticlePediatric radiology2017
Torcular pseudomass: a potential diagnostic pitfall in infants and young children.
Article in Pediatric radiology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Superior extraconal orbital fat hyperintensityin pediatric population: a potential diagnostic pitfall.Pediatric radiology · 2026Article
- Fetal torcular pseudomass and development of the dural venous sinuses: insights from 2D TOF MR angiography.Neuroradiology · 2025Article
- Torcular pseudomass is frequently detected on fetal magnetic resonance imaging and reduces with gestational age.Pediatric radiology · 2023Review
- Torcular pseudomass in a 14-month-old child: illustrative case.Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2022Article
- Torcular pseudomass in newborns and its association with delivery: follow up or leave it alone?Neuroradiology · 2022Article
- Spontaneous Resolution of Congenital Dural Venous Sinus Ectasia Associated With Polymicrogyria-Case Report.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2022Article
- Venous pathologies in paediatric neuroradiology: from foetal to adolescent life.Neuroradiology · 2020Review
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIncidental findings on brain MRI may constitute a diagnostic pitfall. We observed an incidental extra-axial midline rounded pseudomass between the torcular Herophili and the occipital squama, with spontaneous resolution, which we called "torcular pseudomass."
objectiveWe investigated the frequency, imaging features, natural history and developmental background of this finding in a large group of infants and young children. MATERIALS AND
methodsWe conducted a single-center retrospective study by reviewing all brain MRIs performed in children younger than 3 years between 2007 and 2013 in a specialized pediatric hospital. We looked for soft tissue (minimum 2 mm thick) interposed between the torcula and the occipital squama on midsagittal T1 and T2 images; we recorded the maximal diameters and outcome.
resultsOf 2,283 the children who had brain MRIs during the study period, 291 (12.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11, 0.14) presented with a torcular pseudomass (median age 4 months, range 0 days to 35 months, 56% male). MRI features were the same in all of these children: T1 isointensity and T2 hyperintensity to the cerebral cortex, facilitated diffusion on diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient maps, and contrast enhancement. The median diameters were: anteroposterior, 5.8 mm; transverse, 10.5 mm; cranio-caudal, 20.6 mm. Follow-up MRI was available in 34.7% (95% CI: 0.20, 0.40) of the children; median follow-up time was 18 months. Among these children, 35.6% (95% CI: 0.26, 0.45) had total involution, 52.5% (95% CI: 0.26, 0.62) had partial involution and 4.1% (95% CI: 0.05, 0.18) showed stability.
conclusionRedundant soft tissue in the torcular region, or torcular pseudomass, is not an infrequent finding in infants and young children. It should be considered a physiological tissue, reflecting the postnatal developmental process of the brain and cranial vault, without the need for further investigation or follow-up imaging studies.
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