Pineal gland

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The pineal gland is thingy that is most noted for the fact that it calcifies with age.

Normal histology

See Neurohistology#Pineal gland.
  • Cellular.

Overview

Tumours:[1]

  • Primary pineal tumours ~15% of (pineal) tumours - benign to malignant:[2]
    • Pineocytoma.
    • Pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation.
    • Pineoblastoma.
  • Germ cell tumours:
    • Germinoma ~ 50% of (pineal) tumours.
    • Teratoma ~ 15% of tumours.
    • Choricocarcinoma ~ 5% of tumours.
  • Others:
    • Direct invasion/extension from surrounding structures (astrocytomas).
    • Metastases.
    • Lipomas.
    • Meningiomas.

Primary pineal tumours

Range from benign to malignant.

Pineocytoma

General

  • Benign tumour of the pineal gland.
    • WHO Grade I.

Microscopic

Features:

  • Cytologically benign cells (uniform size of nuclei, regular nuclear membrane, light chromatin).
  • Pineocytomatous/neurocytic rosette = (irregular) rosette with a large meshwork of fibers (neuropil) at the centre.[3]
    • Similar to Homer-Wright rosette... but:
      1. Neuropil centre is larger in pineocytoma.
      2. Edge of neuropil meshwork irregular.

Notes:

  • Rosette = circular/flower-like arrangement of cells.

Images:

IHC

  • Synaptophysin +ve.
  • Chromogranin A -ve.
  • NSE +ve (cytoplasmic + nuclear).[4]
  • GFAP -ve.
    • +ve in gliomas.
  • PLAP -ve.
    • Usu. +ve in germ cell tumours.
  • Ki-67.

Another ref.:[5]

See also

References

  1. Gaillard F, Jones J (October 2010). "Masses of the pineal region: clinical presentation and radiographic features". Postgrad Med J 86 (1020): 597–607. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2009.087460. PMID 20971711.
  2. Smith AB, Rushing EJ, Smirniotopoulos JG (November 2010). "From the archives of the AFIP: lesions of the pineal region: radiologic-pathologic correlation". Radiographics 30 (7): 2001–20. doi:10.1148/rg.307105131. PMID 21057132.
  3. Wippold FJ, Perry A (March 2006). "Neuropathology for the neuroradiologist: rosettes and pseudorosettes". AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 27 (3): 488–92. PMID 16551982.
  4. URL: http://path.upmc.edu/cases/case157/dx.html. Accessed on: 9 December 2010.
  5. URL: http://www.springerlink.com/content/k4v88n6h6jknhp2t/fulltext.pdf. Accessed on: 9 December 2010.

External links