title: Reversible pure word deafness due to inferior colliculi compression by a pineal germinoma in a young adult.
abstract: We report a clinical case of a 19-year-old male patient who developed pure word deafness due to the local compressive effect of a pineal germinoma on the inferior colliculi of the quadrigeminal plate. After percutaneous radiation therapy the size of the tumor decreased significantly, while audiometry demonstrated a complete regression of the auditory deficit. Since pure word deafness is commonly attributed to temporal lesions, the inferior colliculi represent an exceptional site for these symptoms. The pathophysiological background and the scarce literature on pure word deafness, especially the one related to neoplasms of the tectal region, are briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Rorschacher Str. 95, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland. Electronic address: Holger.Joswig@kssg.ch.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joswig
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Rorschacher Str. 95, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland. Electronic address: Ursula.Schoenenberger@kssg.ch.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schönenberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiooncology, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Rorschacher Str. 95, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland. Electronic address: Detlef.Bruegge@kssg.ch.
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brügge
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Rorschacher Str. 95, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland. Electronic address: Heiko.Richter@kssg.ch.
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Rorschacher Str. 95, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland. Electronic address: Werner.Surbeck@kssg.ch.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Surbeck
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002535:Cerebral Aqueduct / Q000473:pathology; D018237:Germinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006313:Hearing Loss, Central / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D007245:Inferior Colliculi / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Auditory agnosia; Inferior colliculus; Pineal germinoma; Pure word deafness; Quadrigeminal plate