Malignant Rhabdoid Tumour of the Pineal Region

     Matthew Muller, Sherri Lynn Hubbard, John Provias, Mark Greenberg, Laurence E Becker and James T Rutka

Abstract:   A 9-month-old male presented to hospital with signs and symptoms of raised intracranial pressure. A CT scan showed obstructive hydrocephalus from a large pineal region mass lesion into which an intratumoral hemorrhage had occurred. A posterior fossa craniectomy and subtotal excision of the mass lesion were performed. By histopathology, the lesion was a malignant rhabdoid tumour (MRT). Despite surgery and chemotherapy, the tumour grew inexorably, and the patient died four months after the initial diagnosis. MRT is a rare and highly invasive neoplasm which infrequently arises from the central nervous system. This is the first documented case of a MRT arising from the pineal region. The clinical, radiographic, and pathological features of the MRT in this patient are presented.

Can. J. Neurol. Sci. 1994; 21: 273-277