Pediatric Pineoblastoma

  • Etiology: Primitive neural ectodermal tumor
  • Imaging CT: Calcified pineal gland has an expanded appearance
  • Imaging MRI:
    — Tendency for leptomeningeal dissemination so check for drop metastases to spine
    — T1WI post contrast: Enhance
    — T2WI: Isointense to gray matter
  • DDX:
  • Complications: Drop metastases to spine
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical:
    — Most commonly seen in children
    — Equal sex predominance

Radiology Cases of Pineoblastoma

CT of pineoblastoma
Axial (above left), coronal (above right) and sagittal (below) CT without contrast of the brain shows a large, round, high density mass in the region of the pineal gland causing obstructive hydrocephalus and transependymal flow of cerebrospinal fluid. The right frontal intracranial air on the axial image is due to recent placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.