title: [Diagnosis and radiotherapy of germinomas arising in basal ganglia and thalamus].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the clinical characteristic and radiotherapeutic effect of germinomas arising in basal ganglia and thalamus.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 13 cases were reviewed retrospectively. All cases were pathologic diagnosis through stereotactic biopsy. Gamma-knife or ordinary irradiation were 2 cases respectively and the combined therapy with interstitial brachytherapy as foundation were 9 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All cases were male, median age of 16.1 years. Hemiparesis and ataxia were major symptoms, some cases were accompanied with precocious puberty. Imaging manifested intratumoral cystic components represented 76.9% of all lesions, calcification represented 30.8%, ipsilateral cerebral and brain stem hemiatrophy represented 46.2%, cerebral white matter invasion through internal capsule or corpus callosum represented 30.8%. One case died because of late complication and 12 cases had achieved satisfied therapeutic effect (the mean followed-up period was 40.6 months). Tumor-control were effective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical manifestation and imaging characteristics are helpful to diagnosis. Stereotactic biopsy make the affirmatory diagnosis. Operative total-removal is impossible because of deep location, neighbour of vital structure and invasion. The combined therapy with interstitial brachytherapy was effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100037, China.
authors.forename: Ya-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zeng-min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yong-ge
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hong-wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun-zhao
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhi-chao
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001479:Basal Ganglia; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018237:Germinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013788:Thalamus; D016896:Treatment Outcome