An Investigation of Diagnostic and Treatment Methods for Patients Suffering from Arachnoid Cysts

Arachnoid cysts are congenital, fluid-filled lesions located in the head. While most are asymptomatic, arachnoid cysts can cause debilitating symptoms in patients, including headaches, developmental delay, seizures, and physical disabilities. Current diagnostic and treatment methods are based on a trial and error approach with limited options available to patients and doctors. This research aims to identify areas for the development of innovative diagnostic and treatment methods to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from symptomatic arachnoid cysts.

Our research project began with the investigation of arachnoid cyst prevalence, correlation of symptoms with cyst location and the effectiveness of surgeries. We incorporated a case study that surveyed a patient that underwent 5 surgeries before symptoms were alleviated. We conclude with an overview of our development of a 3D local model of the subarachnoid space, a ventriculoperitoneal catheter, and cerebrospinal fluid flow to enable simulation of local pressure increases and cerebrospinal fluid flow blockages caused by arachnoid cysts. This capability is not available in current computational models and will enable an improved understanding of the effects of arachnoid cysts. We hope that our work will be an effective diagnostic and treatment tool to enhance the effectiveness of current clinical practices.