eMedicine Specialties > Neurosurgery > Neoplasm

Pineal Tumors: Multimedia

Author: Jeffrey N Bruce, MD, Edgar M Housepian Professor of Neurological Surgery Research, Professor of Neurological Surgery, Director of Brain Tumor Tissue Bank, Director of Bartoli Brain Tumor Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Coauthor(s): Benjamin Kennedy,, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; Alfred T Ogden, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center; Richard C Anderson, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Dec 8, 2008

Multimedia

Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of a 33-year-old woman wh...Media file 1: Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of a 33-year-old woman who presented with visual loss, amenorrhea, and diabetes insipidus. MRI shows germinomatous invasion of the pineal gland (large arrowhead), optic chiasm (long arrow), pituitary stalk (small arrowhead), and floor of the third ventricle (short arrow).
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of a 33-year-old woman wh...

Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of a 33-year-old woman who presented with visual loss, amenorrhea, and diabetes insipidus. MRI shows germinomatous invasion of the pineal gland (large arrowhead), optic chiasm (long arrow), pituitary stalk (small arrowhead), and floor of the third ventricle (short arrow).

Noncontrast MRI of a pineocytoma in a 40-year-old...Media file 2: Noncontrast MRI of a pineocytoma in a 40-year-old man presenting with acute hydrocephalus. At surgery, the high signal area (arrow) turned out to be acute hemorrhage.
Noncontrast MRI of a pineocytoma in a 40-year-old...

Noncontrast MRI of a pineocytoma in a 40-year-old man presenting with acute hydrocephalus. At surgery, the high signal area (arrow) turned out to be acute hemorrhage.

MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the ...Media file 3: MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the pineal region. This T1-weighted noncontrast sagittal scan shows isointense tumor, which has obstructed the aqueduct of Sylvius (arrow) to cause hydrocephalus.
MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the ...

MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the pineal region. This T1-weighted noncontrast sagittal scan shows isointense tumor, which has obstructed the aqueduct of Sylvius (arrow) to cause hydrocephalus.

MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the ...Media file 4: MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the pineal region. This T2-weighted noncontrast axial scan shows the tumor as hyperintense to brain matter but hypointense to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the ...

MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the pineal region. This T2-weighted noncontrast axial scan shows the tumor as hyperintense to brain matter but hypointense to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the ...Media file 5: MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the pineal region. Homogenous gadolinium enhancement of the tumor is demonstrated on this T1-weighted contrast-enhancing sagittal scan.
MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the ...

MRI of a 21-year-old man with a germinoma in the pineal region. Homogenous gadolinium enhancement of the tumor is demonstrated on this T1-weighted contrast-enhancing sagittal scan.

Sagittal MRI of a heterogeneous mixed germ cell t...Media file 6: Sagittal MRI of a heterogeneous mixed germ cell tumor of the pineal region in a 21-year-old man who presented with hydrocephalus. After pathologic examination following complete surgical resection, the tumor was found to have multiple components, including endodermal sinus tumor, embryonal cell carcinoma, immature teratoma, and mature teratoma.
Sagittal MRI of a heterogeneous mixed germ cell t...

Sagittal MRI of a heterogeneous mixed germ cell tumor of the pineal region in a 21-year-old man who presented with hydrocephalus. After pathologic examination following complete surgical resection, the tumor was found to have multiple components, including endodermal sinus tumor, embryonal cell carcinoma, immature teratoma, and mature teratoma.

Gross tissue specimens were obtained from a 21-ye...Media file 7: Gross tissue specimens were obtained from a 21-year-old man who presented with hydrocephalus. After pathologic examination following complete surgical resection, the tumor was found to have multiple components, including endodermal sinus tumor, embryonal cell carcinoma, immature teratoma, and mature teratoma (see Image 6). Gross tissue specimens reflect heterogeneity of various germ cell components.
Gross tissue specimens were obtained from a 21-ye...

Gross tissue specimens were obtained from a 21-year-old man who presented with hydrocephalus. After pathologic examination following complete surgical resection, the tumor was found to have multiple components, including endodermal sinus tumor, embryonal cell carcinoma, immature teratoma, and mature teratoma (see Image 6). Gross tissue specimens reflect heterogeneity of various germ cell components.

T1-weighted contrast-enhancing sagittal MRI from ...Media file 8: T1-weighted contrast-enhancing sagittal MRI from a 41-year-old man with a pineocytoma. The tumor enhances homogeneously with gadolinium, except for a cystic portion.
T1-weighted contrast-enhancing sagittal MRI from ...

T1-weighted contrast-enhancing sagittal MRI from a 41-year-old man with a pineocytoma. The tumor enhances homogeneously with gadolinium, except for a cystic portion.

Micrograph from a mature teratoma of the pineal r...Media file 9: Micrograph from a mature teratoma of the pineal region that consists of well-differentiated tissue from all 3 germinal layers. This image demonstrates nonkeratinizing squamous cell epithelium alternating with areas of ciliated columnar epithelium (see Images 11-12).
Micrograph from a mature teratoma of the pineal r...

Micrograph from a mature teratoma of the pineal region that consists of well-differentiated tissue from all 3 germinal layers. This image demonstrates nonkeratinizing squamous cell epithelium alternating with areas of ciliated columnar epithelium (see Images 11-12).

This micrograph demonstrates osteoid bone with su...Media file 10: This micrograph demonstrates osteoid bone with surrounding periosteal tissue and mesenchymal stroma occurring within a mature teratoma of the pineal region (see Image 10 and Image 12).
This micrograph demonstrates osteoid bone with su...

This micrograph demonstrates osteoid bone with surrounding periosteal tissue and mesenchymal stroma occurring within a mature teratoma of the pineal region (see Image 10 and Image 12).

This micrograph features cartilaginous tissue obs...Media file 11: This micrograph features cartilaginous tissue observed within a mature teratoma of the pineal region (see Images 10-11).
This micrograph features cartilaginous tissue obs...

This micrograph features cartilaginous tissue observed within a mature teratoma of the pineal region (see Images 10-11).

Immature teratoma of the pineal region with highl...Media file 12: Immature teratoma of the pineal region with highly cellular primitive elements resembling fetal neural tube structure.
Immature teratoma of the pineal region with highl...

Immature teratoma of the pineal region with highly cellular primitive elements resembling fetal neural tube structure.

Endodermal sinus tumor with a characteristic Schi...Media file 13: Endodermal sinus tumor with a characteristic Schiller-Duval body.
Endodermal sinus tumor with a characteristic Schi...

Endodermal sinus tumor with a characteristic Schiller-Duval body.

Pineoblastoma composed of highly cellular, poorly...Media file 14: Pineoblastoma composed of highly cellular, poorly differentiated cells that form patternless sheets.
Pineoblastoma composed of highly cellular, poorly...

Pineoblastoma composed of highly cellular, poorly differentiated cells that form patternless sheets.

Pineocytoma consisting of benign well-differentia...Media file 15: Pineocytoma consisting of benign well-differentiated cells forming rosettes.
Pineocytoma consisting of benign well-differentia...

Pineocytoma consisting of benign well-differentiated cells forming rosettes.

MRI of a 44-year-old woman 10 years after resecti...Media file 16: MRI of a 44-year-old woman 10 years after resection of a mixed pineal cell tumor. The tumor has recurred in the pineal region (arrow) and has seeded the fourth ventricle (arrowheads).
MRI of a 44-year-old woman 10 years after resecti...

MRI of a 44-year-old woman 10 years after resection of a mixed pineal cell tumor. The tumor has recurred in the pineal region (arrow) and has seeded the fourth ventricle (arrowheads).

The right side of this image demonstrates 3 opera...Media file 17: The right side of this image demonstrates 3 operative approaches to the pineal region. The appropriate patient positioning for each approach is on the left. Number 1 is the supracerebellar-infratentorial approach, number 2 is the occipital-transtentorial approach, and number 3 is the parietal-interhemispheric approach.
The right side of this image demonstrates 3 opera...

The right side of this image demonstrates 3 operative approaches to the pineal region. The appropriate patient positioning for each approach is on the left. Number 1 is the supracerebellar-infratentorial approach, number 2 is the occipital-transtentorial approach, and number 3 is the parietal-interhemispheric approach.

The left drawing is a sagittal view of a patient ...Media file 18: The left drawing is a sagittal view of a patient with a pineal region tumor. The right drawing shows a sagittal view of the supracerebellar/infratentorial approach to the pineal region.
The left drawing is a sagittal view of a patient ...

The left drawing is a sagittal view of a patient with a pineal region tumor. The right drawing shows a sagittal view of the supracerebellar/infratentorial approach to the pineal region.

More on Pineal Tumors

Overview: Pineal Tumors
Workup: Pineal Tumors
Treatment: Pineal Tumors
Follow-up: Pineal Tumors
Multimedia: Pineal Tumors
References

References

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Further Reading

Keywords

pineal, tumors, pineal tumor, pineal tumors, pineal gland, pineal gland tumors, pineal gland tumor, pineal region tumors, pineoblastomas, pineocytomas, pineal germ cell tumors, germinomas, pineal gliomas, pineal metastasis, obstructive hydrocephalus, vertical gaze palsy, astrocytomas, meningiomas, teratomas, pineal cyst, pineal cysts

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Jeffrey N Bruce, MD, Edgar M Housepian Professor of Neurological Surgery Research, Professor of Neurological Surgery, Director of Brain Tumor Tissue Bank, Director of Bartoli Brain Tumor Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Jeffrey N Bruce, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, New York Academy of Sciences, North American Skull Base Society, Society for Neuro-Oncology, and Southwest Oncology Group
Disclosure: NIH Grant/research funds Other

Coauthor(s)

Benjamin Kennedy,, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Alfred T Ogden, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center
Alfred T Ogden, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard C Anderson, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Richard C Anderson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Michael G Nosko, MD, PhD, Chief, Division of Neurosurgery, Director of Neurovascular Surgery, Medical Director of Neuroscience Unit, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Michael G Nosko, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: Academy of Medicine of New Jersey, Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, New York Academy of Sciences, and Society of Critical Care Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Allen R Wyler, MD, Former Medical Director, Northstar Neuroscience, Inc
Allen R Wyler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and Society of Neurological Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Paolo Zamboni, MD, Professor of Surgery, Chief of Day Surgery Unit, Chair of Vascular Diseases Center, University of Ferrara, Italy
Paolo Zamboni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Venous Forum and New York Academy of Sciences
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Allen R Wyler, MD, Former Medical Director, Northstar Neuroscience, Inc
Allen R Wyler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and Society of Neurological Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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