title: Ventricular ganglioneuroblastoma in an adult and successful treatment with radiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ganglioneuroblastomas (GNBs) are rare embryonic neoplasms in the spectrum of neuroblastic tumours and 80% of cases occur in the first decade. In adults, GNBs are usually located in the retroperitoneum, mediastinum and neck but intracranial GNBs are extremely rare.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 34-year-old male applied to the Department of Neurology outpatient clinic with a two month history of headache and numbness in his legs. Detailed examinations and cranial CT were performed and showed a mass with a 5 cm diameter running from the third to the fourth ventricle. Referral to a neurosurgeon was performed for partial removal of the tumour, as the histological and immunohistochemical studies defined the diagnosis of GNB. Three months later, when the patient experienced dizziness, an MRI was performed, which showed a 4×3 cm ventricular mass, with hypointense characterisation in T1-weighted and hyperintense characteristics in T2-weighted and flair sequences. Afterwards, fractioned radiotherapy (54 Gy/30 fx) was chosen as the appropriate therapy. In the follow-up period, MRI was performed 3 months and 1 year after treatment, and revealed shrinkage of the tumour by at least 50%. Meanwhile the patient's post-irradiation course was favourable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data following the use of radiotherapy as treatment for intracranial GNB showing favourable results has been reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akın
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sefika Arzu
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ergen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Büge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gülyüz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Atkovar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sahinler
keywords: Neuroblastic tumour; radiotherapy; ventriculer ganglioneuroblastoma