Surgical Case Reports | 2021
Mature Teratoma in the Third Ventricle: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Abstract
Introduction: Germ Cell Tumors (GCT) represent less than 4% of primary brain tumors. They comprise \nGermaniums, Non-Germinomatous Germ Cell Tumors and Teratomas. Teratomas represent less than 20% \nof intracranial GCT. They are tumors of multipotential cells derived from all 3 germ cell layers, frequently \narising in midline structures, most commonly in the pineal and suprasellar regions, with a clear excess of \nmale cases and frequently found in children and young adults. We report a case of a mature teratoma in the \nthird ventricle in a 37-year-old male. \nCase Report: We report a case of a 37-year-old male with a history of headache lasting up to 9 days and \nrefractory to pharmacological treatment. The CT scan revealed a 20mm round hypodense lesion in the \nanterior third ventricle, with a punctate hyperdensity in the inferior pole causing biventricular hydrocephalus \nwith no periventricular lucency and the MRI showed a well-defined encapsulated mass lesion attached to \nthe roof of the third ventricle, isointense in T1WI with circumferential enhancement and hyperintense in \nT2WI. Gross total resection was performed. Histopathologic evaluation revealed a mature teratoma. There \nwas no evidence of recurrence on follow up MRI at 2 years. \nConclusion: Intracranial teratomas typically originate in midline structures from optic chiasm to pineal \nregion. Presentation after the first two decades of life is exceptional. Complete surgical resection is the only \ncurative treatment for pure mature teratomas. We report the case of a mature teratoma in a 37-year-old male \nwith unusual radiological findings.