A large calcified craniopharyngioma in the newborn

Imaging tumors of the pediatric central nervous system

Primary tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) are the second most common neoplasms in children and the leading cause of death in this patient population. The primary objective of this article is to describe the most common pediatric brain tumors and to offer an overview of their respective imaging features, primarily on magnetic resonance imaging. Precise anatomic characterization is essential for developing an appropriate differential diagnosis. Once equipped with this critical information, physicians should be better able to make firm diagnoses, leading to improved disease management and patient outcomes in the setting of CNS tumors of childhood.

Foetal craniopharyngioma diagnosed by prenatal ultrasonography and confirmed by histopathological examination

BACKGROUND

Craniopharyngioma is an intracranial tumour, which usually develops in children and young adults and rarely occurs in intrauterine life.

METHODS

In foetal life, ultrasonography and later computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are regarded to be the most effective tools of diagnosis.

RESULTS

In the seven cases published earlier, tumour size was below our finding of 96 x 80 x 65 mm(3). In relation to the current case report, we aimed at surveying the available information on prenatal craniopharyngioma.

CONCLUSION

Although the tumour is benign, the neurological and ophthalmologic complications, arising due to its expansive growth, are suggestive of a poor prognosis. Despite the high mortality and morbidity rates, neurosurgical treatment appears to be the sole option.

Neonatal craniopharyngioma and inference of tumor inception time: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Craniopharyngioma is a rare neonatal tumor, although it is the most common tumor of the parasellar region in childhood. Only a few cases have been antenatally diagnosed. We report a case of neonatal craniopharyngioma surgically treated after birth and its inferred tumor inception time.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A routine ultrasound at 33 weeks of gestation revealed a high echoic mass at the center of the head in this fetus. The baby was delivered normally at 40 weeks with no abnormal appearance of its body surface. Hypotonicity of her lower limbs was observed. The tumor was totally removed uneventfully by an interhemispheric trans-lamina-terminalis approach at 8 months after birth.

CONCLUSION

A kinetic study of the tumor showed that tumor inception time was on the 45.6th day of gestation. The present case is the fourth successful resection of neonatal craniopharyngioma. The literature is reviewed.

Embryonal craniopharyngioma. Case report of the morphogenesis of a craniopharyngioma

BACKGROUND

Ordinary craniopharyngiomas affecting sellar regions of children and preadolescents are composed of ameloblastomatous and/or squamous constituents. The authors encountered an autopsy case of a stillborn infant with a large craniopharyngioma with unusual manifestations.

METHODS

The craniopharyngioma was analyzed using detailed histologic and immunohistochemical techniques.

RESULTS

An autopsy revealed a large tumor arising from the pituitary gland with associated severe hydrocephalus. Histologically, the cells of the tumor showed features of ameloblastoma and organoid structures simulating tooth buds and adenohypophyseal primordia in the stage of organogenesis. Cells of the latter were shown to be immunoreactive for chromogranin A and six adenohypophyseal hormones.

CONCLUSIONS

Because embryology of the adenohypophysis and the teeth indicated that all of the epithelia in this tumor emerged during the normal development of the stomodeum, it was believed that an "embryonal form of craniopharyngioma" would characterize this organoid neoplasm best. The possible morphogenesis of craniopharyngioma is also discussed.

Congenital giant craniopharyngioma

A case of a huge congenital craniopharyngioma in a male infant was reported with a review of five similar cases from the literature.

CCT and sonographic findings in congenital craniopharyngioma

In a case of congenital craniopharyngioma results of the sonographic and CCT examinations are reported and compared with postmortem macroscopic cuts. Comparison is made of clinical data from six cases with congenital craniopharyngioma as reported in the literature.

Congenital brain tumors

Two cases of congenital brain tumor present at birth are reported. One patient was a baby girl with a huge teratoma measuring 8 X 6 X 5 cm; she died on her fourth day of life. The other patient had a large cystic astrocytoma, which was successfully removed; the patient is alive and in good health at 2 years of age and has no sign of recurrence of the tumor. Each baby had a large head, which caused dystocia at delivery. In addition to these two cases, we reviewed 200 cases of brain tumors reported in the literature presenting or producing symptoms or found incidentally at autopsy within 2 months after birth. We analyzed these cases in terms of initial symptoms and signs, sex distribution, histologic types and sites of tumors, prognosis, associated anomalies, familial occurrence, and hemorrhage from the tumor. The results of these analyses are described in detail, and the etiology of neonatal brain tumors is discussed.

Neonatal craniopharyngioma. Case report

The authors report a case of craniopharyngioma in a newborn infant. Marked hydrocephalus of the fetal head was recognized in the pelvimetric roentgenograms of the mother and massive suprasellar calcification was seen in the plain skull films.