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
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.

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.

Related articles

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