An atypical location of pineoblastoma RB1 subgroup without pineal or retinal tumor.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and imaging features of a sellar-suprasellar pineoblastoma RB1 subgroup without pineal or retinal involvement. CASE REPORT: An 11-month-old girl presented to the emergency department with fever, rhinorrhea, vomiting, altered level of consciousness, and one seizure. Head CT and brain MRI demonstrated a large lobulated mass with calcifications and heterogeneous enhancement in the suprasellar region causing mass effect to the ventricular system and hydrocephalus. Histology revealed a CNS embryonal tumor not otherwise specified (NOS) with small round nuclei with mitotic activity and necrosis. DNA methylation analysis classified the tumor in the pineoblastoma RB1 subgroup. CONCLUSION: Pineoblastoma RB1 subgroup should be considered in the differential diagnosis of large sellar-suprasellar masses with calcifications and heterogeneous enhancement in children younger than 18 months even in cases of absent pineal or retinal involvement. Molecular analysis with DNA methylation profiling is critical for diagnosis and management.

Pineoblastoma en el adulto. A propósito de un caso

Fundamento: Los pineoblastomas son tumores cerebrales infrecuentes dentro del grupo de los tumores primitivos neuroectodérmicos. La presentación clínica por lo general está relacionada con la obstrucción del acueducto de Silvio, lo que ocasiona hidrocefalia e hipertensión intracraneal. Objetivo: Describir las características clínicas e imagenológicas de un paciente adulto con diagnóstico de pineoblastoma. Presentación de caso: Masculino, 33 años, que comenzó con disminución de la agudeza visual que evolucionó a la amaurosis bilateral y trastorno de la marcha. Se diagnosticó hidrocefalia obstructiva triventricular, por lo cual se realizó tercer ventriculostomía endoscópica. Se decidió un abordaje supracerebeloso infratentorial a la lesión tumoral, con apoyo endoscópico en posición semisentado; se logró la resección parcial. En estudio inmunohistoquímico se encontró Ki-67 mayor de 50 % de las células, neurofilamento y sinaptofisina positiva. Se concluyó como pineoblastoma. Recibió radioterapia convencional con Co-60, fraccionada, con un total de 30 dosis diarias de 2 Gy. La evolución del paciente a los 6 meses de operado fue satisfactoria. Conclusiones: El tratamiento combinado de cirugía y radioterapia constituye un esquema terapéutico ideal en este tipo de lesiones tumorales. La endoscopia es una herramienta de gran valor en los abordajes quirúrgicos a la región pineal.

Background: Pineoblastomas are infrequent brain tumors among the neuroectodermal primitive tumors. Clinical presentation is usually related to Silvian aqueduct obstruction, which causes hydrocephalus and intracranial hypertension. Objective: To describe the clinical and imagenological characteristics in an adult patient diagnosed with pineoblastoma. Case presentation: Male, 33 years old, who started with visual acuity decline that evolved to bilateral amaurosis and gait disorder. Triventricular obstructive hydrocephalus was diagnosed, therefore, an endoscopic third ventriculostomy was realized. It was decided to use an infratentorial supracerebellar approach to the tumor lesion, with endoscopic support in semi-seated position; partial resection was achieved. In immunohistochemical study, Ki-67 was found to be higher than 50% of the cells, neurofilament and synaptophysin positive. It was concluded as pineoblastoma. He received fractionated Co-60 conventional radiotherapy, with a total of 30 daily doses, 2 Gy. The evolution of the patient 6 months after surgery was satisfactory. Conclusions: The combined treatment of surgery and radiotherapy constitutes an ideal therapeutic scheme in this type of tumor lesions. Endoscopy is a tool of great value in surgical approaches to the pineal region.

Prognostic factors of pediatric pineal region tumors at a single institution.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify factors of a worse prognosis among different histological types of pineal region tumors in pediatric patients treat at a single institution in a 30-year period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Pediatric patients (151; < 18 years of age) treated between 1991 and 2020 were analyzed. Kaplan-Meyer survival curves were created, and the log-rank test was used to compare the main prognostic factors in the different histological types. RESULTS: Germinoma was found in 33.1%, with an overall 60-month survival rate of 88%; the female sex was the only factor of a worse prognosis. Non-germinomatous germ cell tumors were found in 27.1%, with an overall 60-month survival rate of 67.2%; metastasis upon diagnosis, residual tumor, and the absence of radiotherapy were associated with a worse diagnosis. Pineoblastoma was found in 22.5%, with an overall 60-month survival rate of 40.7%; the male sex was the only factor of a worse prognosis; a tendency toward a worse outcome was found in patients < 3 years of age and those with metastasis upon diagnosis. Glioma was identified in 12.5%, with an overall 60-month survival rate of 72.6%; high-grade gliomas were associated with a worse prognosis. Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors was found in 3.3%, and all patients died within a 19-month period. CONCLUSION: Pineal region tumors are characterized by the heterogeneity of histological types, which exert an influence on the outcome. Knowledge of the prognostic factors for each histological types is of extreme importance to the determination of guided multidisciplinary treatment.

Pineal anlage tumor: a case report and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Pineal anlage tumors (PAT) are extremely rare malignant tumors in the pediatric population considered to be a variant of pineoblastomas. These tumors are characterized by a combination of neuroectodermal and heterologous ectomesenchymal components. PAT can be clinically aggressive and has a propensity to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dissemination. So far, only 13 cases of these tumors have been reported in the literature. CASE ARTICLE: In this article, we report the case of an anlage tumor in a 3-year-old girl with a rapidly aggressive course.

Diffusion-weighted MR images and pineoblastoma: diagnosis and follow-up

Pineoblastomas are uncommon pineal tumors, which demonstrate rapid growing and poor prognosis. We report the case of a 43-year-old man with an enhancing pineal region mass, which showed restriction of the diffusion on diffusion-weighted (DW) MR images. The surgical biopsy defined the diagnosis of pineoblastoma and the therapy was initiated with radiation and chemotherapy. Three months later, the follow-up MR imaging showed areas suggestive of necrosis and the DW images demonstrate no significant areas of restricted diffusion. The differential diagnosis of pineal region masses that could show restriction of diffusion is discussed.

Pineoblastomas são tumores incomuns da glândula pineal, os quais têm crescimento rápido e prognóstico reservado. Os autores objetivam relatar o caso de um homem de 43 anos de idade com uma massa na região pineal com realce pelo contraste, a qual demonstrou restrição da difusão nas imagens de ressonância magnética (RM) pesadas em difusão. A biópsia cirúrgica definiu o diagnóstico de pineoblastoma e o tratamento foi iniciado com radio e quimioterapia. Três meses mais tarde, a RM de controle demonstrou áreas sugestivas de necrose e não mais eram observadas áreas de restrição da difusão da água. O diagnóstico diferencial das massas na região pineal que podem apresentar restrição da difusão é discutido.