Germinoma physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Simrat Sarai, M.D. [2]
Overview
Physical Examination
The clinical evaluation for germ cell tumors should include the following:
- General physical examination
- Check of growth parameters
- Careful neurological evaluation
- Assessment of primary and secondary sexual characteristics
- Ophthalmological exam.
Radiographic characteristics of CNS germ cell tumors GCTs cannot reliably differentiate germinomas from nongerminomatous germ cell tumors NGGCTs. The diagnosis of GCTs is based on the following:
- Clinical signs and symptoms
- Tumor markers (Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and beta subunit human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) in both serum and CSF, lumbar CSF cytology)
- Neuroimaging
- Cytological cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and histological confirmation
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain and spine with gadolinium.
- Evaluation of pituitary/hypothalamic function.
- Visual-field examinations for suprasellar or hypothalamic tumors.
- A baseline neuropsychological examination when symptoms of endocrine deficiency and raised intracranial pressure are resolved.
HEENT
- Paralysis of upward gaze
- Pupils nonreactive to light perception and accommodation or pupils which react better to accommodation than light
- Nystagmus
- Failure of convergence
- Lid retraction
- Visual-field examinations
- Papilledema
- A baseline neuropsychological examination is also performed
Neuromuscular
- Patient is usually oriented to persons, place, and time: However, altered mental status may be present if there is increased intracranial pressure
- Clonus may be present
- Hyperreflexia / hyporeflexia / areflexia
- Positive Babinski / plantar reflex unilaterally/bilaterally
- Proximal/distal muscle weakness unilaterally/bilaterally
- Paralysis of upward gaze, failure of convergence, and pupils nonreactive to light perception and accommodation suggestive of cranial nerve II and III
- Unilateral/bilateral upper/lower extremity weakness
- Unilateral/bilateral sensory loss in the upper/lower extremity
- Ataxia
- Normal finger-to-nose test / Dysmetria
- Dysdiadochokinesia