title: Intraventricular neurocytoma with massive brain stem involvement in a 5-year-old child.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Central neurocytoma is a tumor of neuronal origin that should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of intraventricular neoplasms. Reports of neurocytomas with an extraventricular localization are rare: to our knowledge, the case described here is the first in which a neurocytoma developed within the ventricles but also invaded the brain stem.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors describe the unusual case of a 5-year-old boy with an intraventricular neurocytoma presenting with massive involvement of the basal nuclei and the brain stem. The patient underwent first biopsy and then surgery for ventricular-peritoneal shunting and partial removal of the tumor. Histology showed the tumor to be a typical neurocytoma with Mib-1 <2%. The postoperative course was uneventful. At 3 years' follow-up, the patient's clinical condition is stable and there are no signs of disease progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The literature is reviewed and the characteristics of this unusual tumor are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. Jacopole@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvati
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raco
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pichierri
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giangaspero
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delfini
mesh_terms: D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D002551:Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018306:Neurocytoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery