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Pinealoma

A 23 year-old woman presented with headaches and difficulty with gait. Examination was notable for bilateral papilledema.

Note the Enlargement of the 3rd Compared to 4th Ventricle    Show the Tumor    Show the Gadolinium Enhancement

Pinealoma: (Left) MP-RAGE sagittal MRI; (Right) MP-RAGE with gadolinium sagittal MRI. Note the lesion located in the posterior third ventricle that strongly enhances with gadolinium. Surgical excision showed that the lesion was a pinealoma.

Tumors that arise from cells in the pineal gland are known as pinealomas. As the pineal gland is located in the posterior third ventricle, pineal tumors often present with non-communicating hydrocephalus due to compression of the cerebral aqueduct. In addition, downward pressure may compress the dorsal midbrain, resulting in a Parinaud's syndrome (lid retraction, large pupils that react poorly to light, impaired upgaze, and convergence retraction nystagmus).


Revised 11/28/06.
Copyrighted 2006. David C Preston