Ethmoidal meningoencephalocele in a C57BL/6J mouse Journal Article


Authors: Floyd, R.; Michel, A. O.; Piersigilli, A.; Aronowitz, E.; Voss, H. U.; Ricart Arbona, R. J.
Article Title: Ethmoidal meningoencephalocele in a C57BL/6J mouse
Abstract: An otherwise healthy two-month-old female C57BL/6J mouse presented with a left-sided head tilt. Differential diagnoses included idiopathic necrotizing arteritis, bacterial otitis media/interna (Pasteurella pneumotropica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus sp., Mycoplasma pulmonis and Burkholderia gladioli), encephalitis, an abscess, neoplasia, a congenital malformation and an accidental or iatrogenic head trauma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large space-occupying right olfactory lobe intra-axial lesion with severe secondary left-sided subfalcine herniation. Following imaging, the animal was euthanized due to poor prognosis. Histopathologic examination revealed a unilateral, full-thickness bone defect at the base of the cribriform plate and nasal conchae dysplasia, resulting in the herniation of the olfactory bulb into the nasal cavity. There was also a left midline-shift of the frontal cortex and moderate catarrhal sinusitis in the left mandibular sinus. The MRI and histopathologic changes are consistent with a congenital malformation of the nasal cavity and frontal aspect of the skull known as an ethmoidal meningoencephalocele. Encephaloceles are rare abnormalities caused by herniation of contents of the brain through a defect in the skull which occur due to disruption of the neural tube closure at the level anterior neuropore or secondary to trauma, surgical complications, cleft palate or increased intracranial pressure. The etiology is incompletely understood but hypotheses include genetics, vitamin deficiency, teratogens, infectious agents and environmental factors. Ethmoidal encephaloceles have been reported in multiple species including humans but have not been reported previously in mice. There are multiple models for spontaneous and induced craniofacial malformation in mice, but none described for ethmoidal encephaloceles. © The Author(s) 2020.
Keywords: mouse; neurology; congenital disease; frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele; mri imaging
Journal Title: Laboratory Animals
Volume: 55
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0023-6772
Publisher: Sage Publications  
Date Published: 2021-04-01
Start Page: 181
End Page: 188
Language: English
DOI: 10.1177/0023677220944449
PUBMED: 32787540
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC8404781
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 3 May 2021 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Adam Oliver Michel
    18 Michel
  2. Rebecca Jo Floyd
    2 Floyd