Non-neoplastic intracranial cystic lesions: not everything is an arachnoid cyst

Abstract Intracranial cystic lesions are common findings on neuroimaging examinations, arachnoid cysts being the most common type of such lesions. However, various lesions of congenital, infectious, or vascular origin can present with cysts. In this pictorial essay, we illustrate the main causes of non-neoplastic intracranial cystic lesions, discussing their possible differential diagnoses as well as their most relevant imaging aspects.