Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Cancer, Education, MR, Neuroradiology brain, CNS
Authors:
S. Gangi1, E. Soligo1, S. Bor1, L. Y. Samman2, A. Stecco1, A. Carriero3; 1Novara/IT, 2Vigevano/IT, 3Novara (NO)/IT
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2019/C-3283
Background
The pineal gland is a small,
median structure located in the epithalamus,
in a recess created by the splenium of the corpus callosum,
the superior colliculi and the cisterna ambiens,
and connected to the posterior wall of the third ventricle.
Its dimensions vary from 7 to 14 mm,
and it is located outside the blood-brain barrier.
Histologically,
pineocytes are the cells that make up most of its volume,
followed by a small number of astrocytes.
Pineocytes are specialized neurons that show many similarities with rods and cones of the retina,
able to turn the impulses they receive from those cells trough sympathetic fibers into melatonin secretion; melatonin regulates the wake/sleep patterns and photoperiodic functions,
as well as the release of other hormones such as LH and FSH,
and probably possesses antioxidant and neuroprotective properties.
A mass located in the pineal region,
whether benign or malignant,
often presents itself with non-specific signs such as headache,
nausea,
papilledema and seizures,
depending on its size and compression of the adjacent structures; mass effect on the midbrain can cause ataxia and the development of Parinaud syndrome (vertical gaze palsy,
mydriasis,
failed ocular convergence),
while obstruction of the acqueduct of Sylvius can lead to hydrocephalus; endocrine dysfunctions such as precocious puberty are most commonly associated with a particular type of lesion,
germ cell tumors.