Craniopharyngioma

Figure 1 (top far right) shows a large mass extending upwards to the third ventricle and posteriorly into the pre-pontine cistern (arrow).

Figure 2 (top left) shows the tumor extending quite a bit and encasing the basilar artery (small arrow).

Figure 3 (bottom right) shows calcification within a hyperdense lobulated mass at the sprasellar region (arrow).

Figure 3 is a CT image axial. Figure 1 is a MRI T1 sagittal image, Figure 2 is an axial T2 MRI image.

Craniopharyngioma can causes symptoms in three separate ways:
1) increasing the pressure on the brain
2) disruption of the functions of the pituitary gland

3) damage to the optic nerve

Headache, nausea, vomiting and difficulty with balance are attributed to increased pressure on the brain.

Disruption to the pituitary gland can result in hormone inbalance that can lead to excessive thirst and urination (diabetes insipidus) and stunted growth.

Optic nerve damage cause vision problems that may be permanent and can worsen after surgery.

Craniopharyngioma is a benign tumor that develops near the pituitary gland It is a slow growing cystic tumor that occupies the (supra) sellar region.

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Craniopharyngioma

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1157758-overview

http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/Rad/neurocases/Neurocase16.htm

The cause of Craniopharynngiomas is unknown.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.plwc.org/oncology_content/content_images/CNS_credit_small.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer%2BTypes/Craniopharyngioma%2B-%2BChildhood/ci.Craniopharyngioma.printer&usg=__1kjdKwj3D_EPXMpsXnFFO0-9c1Y=&h=202&w=240&sz=55&hl=en&start=9&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=cyjpam-aR2ezvM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcraniopharyngioma%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26tbs%3Disch:1

Glomus Typanicum Tumor

A glomus typanicum tumor is a benign mass that usually form on the cochlear promontory. They are the most common neoplasms of the middle ear. The two most common symtoms are pulsatile tinnitus and conductive hearing loss. Treatment for glomua tympanicum tumors is surgical removal.

The first image to the right shows tumor as a red pulsating mass.

The second image shows a PE Tube installed with posterior half of typanic membrane pulsating and red.

The third image shows the glomus typanicum exposed by lifting the tympanomeatal flap. This tumor filled the psterior half of the middle ear space.

The fourth image is a CT axial that shows the tumor growing from the medial wall of the middle ear.

The fifth image is a Coronal CT view of the tumor growing from the medial wall of the middle ear.

The sixth surgical picture shows an excellent view of the tumor.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Glomus+tympanicum+tumor-a0163421963

http://www.ghorayeb.com/GlomusTympanicum.html

Colloid Cyst of third venticle

The second image is the pre-surgical CT scan. The patient was a 41 year old vetran of Operation Desert Storm. His symtoms included headaches, confusion, and fainting. Upon removal of the cyst, the patient's cognition and headaches showed immediate improvement. He no longer has fainting spells. The cyst was removed by a minimally invasive technique called the Neuroendoport Technique. The post-surgery CT image (first image) shows that the cyst was completely removed.









The images above and the case study was retrieved from: http://brainsurgery.upmc.com/neuroendoport/clinical-case-studies/colloid-cyst.aspx


Figures A, B, and C were downloaded from http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/content/full/21/8/1470/F3

Although these are of another patient, I could not resist showing what the cyst actually looks like. In B. the cut surface is referred to as a turbid, gelantinous material.

From
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1550234/ I learned that unexpected death after a headache was due to a colloid cyst of the third ventricle. A 17 year old female had symtoms of mild intermittent headaches for a period of two years. One night she complained of a severe headache and was found dead the next morning. Colloid cysts are rare (about 3 per million people per year are affected. Colloid cysts are benign intracranial non-neoplastic cysts.