Pineal gland disorders

Pineal gland disorders include cysts, calcifications and tumors.

Cysts

The cysts of the pineal gland are mostly asymptomatic. However, larger cysts can oppress surrounding structures. They often occur in young women.

Calcifications

Calcified formations - the so-called cerebral sand (corpora arenacea) commonly occur with increasing age. These are proteinaceous structures in which calcium salts are stored.

Tumors

Pineocytoma

Pineal gland tumors are rare. The majority (50-70%) come from isolated embryonic germ cells. Tumors from the cells of the parenchyma of the pineal gland - pinealocytes, are called pineocytoma and pineoblastoma. Pineocytoma (pinealocytoma) is a slow-growing benign tumor. Pineoblastoma is a fast-growing high-grade tumor.

Germ cell tumors

Germ cells tumors most often take the form of germinoma, resembling testicular seminoma or ovarian dysgerminoma. Other types according to germ cell differentiation are embryonic carcinoma, choriocarcinoma and rarely teratomas.

Pineoblastoma

Tumors from parenchyma of the pineal gland

These lesions come from specialized pineal cell cells (pinealocytes) that have features of neuronal differentiation. Pineocytomas are highly differentiated lesions with areas of neuropils, cells with a small round nucleus and no evidence of mitosis or necrosis. Pineoblastoma is a high-grade variant with little sign of neuronal differentiation, densely packed small cells with necrosis and a number of mitoses. High-grade pineal gland tumors occur in children, while low-grade lesions affect adults more often. Highly aggressive pineoblastoma often spreads through the cerebrospinal fluid.

Links

Related articles

• Epifýza
• Germinální nádory
• Cysty
• Kalcifikace (patologie)

References

• KUMAR, [edited by] Vinay, Vinay KUMAR a Jon C. Aster ; with illustrations by James A PERKINS. Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disease : [object Object]. 9. edition. Philadelphia : Elsevier Saunders, c2015. ISBN 9781455726134.

• WHITEHEAD, M T, C OH a A RAJU, et al. Physiologic pineal region, choroid plexus, and dural calcifications in the first decade of life. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol [online]. 2015, vol. 36, no. 3, s. 575-80, also available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25355815>. ISSN 0195-6108 (print), 1936-959X.