Adult ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Ganglioglioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism

Adolescent ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ependymoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ganglioglioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Tubulin ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Desmin ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dura Mater ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Meningioma ; pathology ; Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the immunohistochemical expression and diagnostic significance of CD34 in brain tumors of patients with refractory epilepsy.

METHODSImmunohistochemical study for CD34 was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 54 cases of brain tumors occurring in patients with refractory epilepsy. The tumor types included ganglioglioma (GG, number = 21), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT, number = 8), tumors/lesions which had the transitional features that between glioneuronal hamartia and mixed neuronal-glial tumor (number = 21) and pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA, number = 4). Cases of glioblastoma (number = 4) and oligoastrocytoma (number = 5) were used as controls.

RESULTSTwenty of the 21 cases of GG, 1 of the 8 cases of DNT, 16 of the 21 cases of tumors/lesions which had the transitional features and 3 of the 4 cases of PXA showed cytoplasmic and membranous positivity for CD34. The adjoining brain tissues in 9 of the 18 cases of GG, 6 of the 16 cases of tumors/lesions which had the transitional features and 1 of the 3 cases of PXA also expressed CD34. In contrast, only 1 case of glioblastoma showed membranous positivity for CD34.

CONCLUSIONSCD34 preferred to staining for GG and PXA. Which represent a valuable tool for distinguishing GG, PXA and DNT, oligoastrocytoma, glioblastoma.

Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Astrocytoma ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Brain Neoplasms ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; Ganglioglioma ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Glioblastoma ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features, immunohistochemical findings, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT) of central nervous system in childhood.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic data, morphologic features and immunophenotypes were reviewed in 6 cases of AT/RT. EnVision method was applied. Antibodies include cytokeratin (CK), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), vimentin, smooth muscle actin (SMA), muscle specific actin (MSA), glial fibrinary acid protein (GFAP), desmin, placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) and INI1.

RESULTSFive of the six cases of AT/RT occurred in infancy and early childhood. Histologically, the predominant component was rhabdoid cells. Cytoplasmic inclusions were present in all cases. Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) component was also identified in 5 of the 6 cases studied. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin. The staining for INI1, desmin and PLAP was negative. Smooth muscle actin was expressed in 2 cases and glial fibrillary acidic protein in 5 cases. The proliferative index as demonstrated by Ki-67 staining was high.

CONCLUSIONSAT/RT is not a particularly uncommon malignancy in childhood. The histologic hallmark is the presence of rhabdoid cells with cytoplasmic inclusions. The tumor cells are positive for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin, and negative for INI1. Differential diagnosis includes PNET, medulloblastoma and medullomyoblastoma.

Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Male ; Medulloblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rhabdoid Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Teratoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Nestin ; metabolism ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Temporal Lobe ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Astrocytoma ; pathology ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ganglioneuroma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Nestin ; Neurons ; pathology ; Oligodendroglioma ; pathology ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Astrocytoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ependymoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Intrasellar location of schwannoma is extremely rare, although intracranial schwannomas account for up to 8% of all primary brain tumors. An unusual case of an intrasellar schwannoma radiographically and clinically simulating a pituitary adenoma is reported. A 39-yr-old man presented a 10-month history of visual disturbance and decreased libido. Neurological examination showed poor visual acuity of both eyes with bitemporal hemianopsia. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a sellar tumor with suprasellar extension. Pituitary adenoma was considered as a preoperative diagnosis. The tumor was removed through a trans-sphenoidal approach. Microscopic examination of the tumor revealed schwannoma.
Adult ; Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis/metabolism/*pathology/surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neurilemmoma/diagnosis/metabolism/*pathology/surgery ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Prolactinoma ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Visual Fields

Adenoma ; pathology ; Brain Neoplasms ; secondary ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Reoperation ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Temporal Lobe ; pathology