Cerebellar primary germ-cell tumor in a young boy.
Germ cell tumors originating in the posterior fossa are very rare. Described herein is a case of primary germ cell tumor (yolk sac tumor) found in the cerebellar vermis. A 5-year-old boy who complained of headache was admitted. CT and MRI revealed a tumor with diffuse enhancement by contrast medium in the right cerebellar vermis. Total removal was performed and a diagnosis of medulloblastoma or ependymoma was suspected. However, the tumor proved to be a yolk sac tumor with embryonal carcinomatous components from histological findings. Abnormally high levels of alpha-fetoprotein were found in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Extensive examination indicated that the intracranial lesion had not metastasized from a primary extracranial tumor.
Nakase
H
H
Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka Neurological Institute, Japan.
Ohnishi
H
H
Touho
H
H
Karasawa
J
J
Tsunoda
S
S
D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018237:Germinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed