Cerebral cysticercosis: diagnostic value of subcutaneous nodules. Report of two cases.

In North America cysticercosis is a rare disease and may cause serious diagnostic difficulties. We report two patients with cysticercosis with neurologic involvement and subcutaneous nodules. In both cases the nodules were small and few in number. Histologic examination showed the diagnostic scolex of the parasite only after subserial sections of the biopsy specimen. The presence of subcutaneous nodules in patients who have lived in endemic areas should raise the possibility of cysticercosis, particularly if neurologic signs or symptoms are present. We stress the importance of careful histologic examination of subcutaneous nodules when cysticercosis is suspected.