TITLE:
Congenital Dermoid Cyst of the Anterior Fontanelle: Case Report in a 3-Year-Old Child in Bouaké
AUTHORS:
Malick Soro, Brou Lambert Yao, Sara Carole Sanogo, Bouassa Davy Mélaine Kouakou, Kouamé Paul Bonfils Kouassi, Issa Konate
KEYWORDS:
Congenital Dermoid Cyst, Anterior Fontanelle, Medical Imaging, Bouaké
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Radiology,
Vol.15 No.3,
September
17,
2025
ABSTRACT: Objective: to describe the imaging features of a congenital dermoid cyst of the anterior fontanelle observed in our practice in a young child. Patients and Observations: a 3-year-old patient was admitted to the radiology and medical imaging department of the Bouaké Regional Hospital for a cranial CT scan due to progressive swelling of the scalp since birth. He presented with a soft, non-pulsatile mass opposite the anterior fontanelle. Cranial computed tomography, scalp ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a heterogeneous, well-defined cystic mass of approximately 5.1 ml, located under the galea, opposite the anterior fontanelle and non-vascularised. It was completely extrameningeal with no detectable intracranial connection. Pathological examination of the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of dermoid cyst. Conclusion: this case highlights the need for a diagnostic approach integrating clinical, radiological and histological findings when faced with a scalp mass. Although rare, dermoid cysts should remain a suspected diagnosis in any non-pulsatile subcutaneous lesion of the midline.