Pineal gland tumor
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Fahimeh Shojaei, M.D., Sujit Routray, M.D. [2]
Synonyms and keywords: Pineal gland tumors; Pineal gland cancer; Pineal gland cancers; Pineal gland neoplasm; Pineal gland neoplasms; Neoplasm of the pineal gland; Neoplasms of the pineal gland; Cancer of the pineal gland; Cancers of the pineal gland; Astrocytoma; Meningioma; Pineal gland; Parinaud syndrome; Brain tumor
Overview
Pineal gland tumors are broadly divided into four subcategories. The various types of pineal gland tumors include:[1]
1. Pineal parenchymal tumors: Pineal parenchymal tumors arise directly from the normal functional cells of the pineal gland, pineal parenchymal cells (pineocytes or their precursors), and they are distinct from other pineal gland neoplasms such as astrocytic and germ cell tumors. These tumors are formed after the embryological development of the pineal gland.
2. Pineal germ cell tumors: They are tumors which arise from the embryological abnormalities. They are derived from the germ cells, including sex cells, of the pineal gland during the developmental process of the pineal gland.
3. Astrocytoma of the pineal gland: They arise from the astrocytes, which are a particular kind of star-shaped, glial brain cells around the pineal gland.
4. Pineal metastasis: Pineal metastasis is a cancer that has metastasized to the pineal gland from another location in the body.
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Differentiating pineal gland tumor from Other Diseases
Pineal gland tumormust be differentiated from other diseases that cause seizure, visual disturbance, and constitutional symptoms, such as:
- Oligodendroglioma
- Meningioma
- Astrocytoma
- Pituitary adenoma
- Schwannoma
- primary CNS lymphoma
- Medulloblastoma
- Ependymoma
- Craniopharyngioma
- Hemangioblastoma
- AV malformation
- Brain aneurysm
- Bacterial brain abscess
- Tuberculosis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Hydatid cyst
- CNS cryptococcosis
- CNS aspergillosis
- Brain metastasis
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References
- ↑ Pineal region mass. Dr Henry Knipe and Dr Frank Gaillard et al. Radiopaedia 2015. http://radiopaedia.org/articles/pineal-region-mass. Accessed on November 18, 2015