Erler-Zimmer GmbH & Co. KG Craniopharyngioma 3D model:
- Model code: MP2017
- Clinical history
- A 62-year-old woman presented with disorientation in time, place, and person. Physical examination revealed no localized neurological signs. Radiological studies showed a wide-spreading lesion in the floor of the third ventricle. Tissue was removed during surgery, but the tumor could not be completely removed. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of craniopharyngioma. After surgery, the patient developed complex metabolic disorders, most likely hypothalamic. She gradually deteriorated, and 10 weeks after admission she died after an episode of gastric aspiration.
- Pathology
- The brain is sectioned in the sagittal plane, showing the internal surface. A pinkish-gray, oval tumor measuring 2.5 x 1.5 cm in diameter is centered in the hypothalamic region on the section surface. It is encapsulated except for its ventral pole, where tissue was removed in a previous operation, and the section surface shows a microcystic or spongy appearance. The tumor distorts the 3rd ventricle and extends to fill the foramen of Munro. The optic chiasm is lowered caudally (arrow). Previous ventriculoatrial shunting has prevented dilation of the lateral ventricles despite this obstruction.
- Additional information
- Craniopharyngiomas account for 1-31% of all brain tumors, and 5-101% of children, with a bimodal distribution, with a peak in the 5-14 year age group and a second peak between 50-75 years. The incidence is higher in Japan and parts of Africa. Craniopharyngiomas are epithelial tumors, usually originating in the pituitary stalk. Other sites of origin include the sella turcica, optic tract, and third ventricle. There are often solid and cystic components, the latter containing cholesterol crystals. Craniopharyngiomas can be divided into two categories, the adamantinomatous and papillary types, each with distinct histology and genetic alterations, although the prognostic significance of these types remains unclear.
Craniopharyngioma 3D models – Erler-Zimmer Anatomy Group
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