Abstract
Thirty-two cases of pineal cyst diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were reviewed and are described. The pineal cyst was demonstrated to be an area with slightly less intensity than the surrounding tissue and with slightly greater intensity than the CSF on T1-weighted images. On the T2-weighted images this lesion was identified as a high-intensity area with smooth margins and was homogeneous in nature. In three cases presenting with headache, compression of the vein of Galen was identified, and compression of the quadrigeminal plate was demonstrated in five cases. No patients presented with both pineal and quadrigeminal lesions. Of the cases, 63% were not detected by CT scanning alone. There were two cases in which the cyst ruptured and collapsed spontaneously during follow-up. It is emphasized that the presence of this lesion, which was more frequent than previously expected, should be kept in mind when diagnosing pineal tumors and should not be misdiagnosed. Surgery should not be undertaken unless the lesion produces symptoms due to the compression of the quadrigeminal plate, aqueduct, or the vein of Galen.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Allen JC (1987) Management of primary intracranial germ cell tumors of childhood. Pediatr Neurosci 13:152–157
Chang CG, Kageyama N, Kobayashi T, Yoshida J, Negoro M (1981) Pineal tumors: clinical diagnosis, with special emphasis on the significance of pineal calcification. Neurosurgery 8:656–668
Cooper ERA (1932) The human pineal gland and pineal cysts. J Anat 67:28–46
Edwards MSB, Hudgins RJ, Wilson CB, Levin VA, Wara WM (1988) Pineal region tumors in children. J Neurosurg 68:689–697
Hajdu SI, Porr RS, Lieberman PH, Foote FW Jr (1972) Degeneration of the pineal gland of patients with cancer. Cancer 29:706–709
Jooma R, Kendall BE (1983) Diagnosis and management of pineal tumors. J Neurosurg 58:654–665
Kilgore DP, Strother CM, Starshak RJ, Haughton VM (1986) Pineal germinoma: MR imaging. Radiology 158:435–438
Kjos BO, Brant-Zawadszki, Kucharczyk W, Kelly WM, Norman N, Newton TH (1985) Cystic intracranial lesions: magnetic resonance imaging. Radiology 155:363–369
Kucharczyk W, Brant-Zawadzki M, Sobel D, Edwards MB, Kelly WM, Norman D, Newton TH (1985) Central nervous system tumors in children: detection by magnetic resonance imaging. Radiology 155:131–136
Lee DH, Norman D, Newton TH (1987) MR imaging of pineal cysts. J Comp Assist Tomogr 11:586–590
Mamourian AC, Towfighi J (1986) Pineal cysts: MR imaging. AJNR 7:1081–1086
Megyeri L (1960) Cystische Veränderungen des Corpus pineale. Frankfurt Z Pathol 70:699–704
Peterson SB, Steiner RE, Bydder GH (1984) Magnetic resonance imaging of intracranial tumors in children and adolescents. AJNR 5:703–709
Raimondi AJ, Tomita T (1982) Pineal tumors in childhood. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and surgical approaches. 9:239–266
Sano K, Matsutani M (1981) Pineal (germinoma) treated by direct surgery and postoperative irradiation. Child's Brain 8:81–97
Sevitt S, Schorstein J (1947) A case of pineal cyst. Br Med J 2:490–491
Tapp E, Huxley M (1972) The histological appearance of the human pineal gland from puberty to old age. J Pathol 108:137–144
Welton PL, Reicher MA, Kellerhouse LE, Ott KH (1988) MR of benign pineal cyst. AJNR 9:612
Wood JH, Zimmerman RA, Bruce DA, Bilaniuk LT, Norris DG, Schut L (1981) Assessment and management of pineal-region and related tumors. Surg Neurol 16:192–210
Zimmerman RA, Bilaniuk LT (1982) Age-related incidence of pineal calcification detected by computed tomography. Radiology 142:659–662
Zimmerman RA, Bilaniuk LT, Wood JH, Bruce DA, Schut L (1980) Computed tomography of pineal, parapineal, and histologically related tumors. Radiology 137:669–677
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tamaki, N., Shirataki, K., Lin, T. et al. Cysts of the pineal gland. Child's Nerv Syst 5, 172–176 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272122
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272122