Craniopharyngiomas

This volume focuses on adult craniopharyngiomas, offering various perspectives. The first part of the book provides an up-to-date overview of the pathogenesis and management of adult craniopharyngiomas, helping readers understand the pathogenesis and molecular pathways. It highlights the importance of animal models for addressing molecular keys and for developing targeted therapies. The second part deals with clinical management, detailing the latest results in the era of endoscopic surgery, including the major contribution of the extended nasal endoscopic approaches for suprasellar and retrochiasmatic tumors. The book also discusses the key aspects of these tumors and how to manage them. The last part of the book addresses the future therapies and recurrences after surgery and radiotherapy. This volume is of interest to neurosurgeons, endocrinologists, paediatricians, radiologists and oncologists.

Craniopharyngiomas are a type of brain tumour in the suprasellar region with benign histological and cellular features. Clinical manifestations of craniopharyngiomas include decreased vision, hypopituitarism, hypothalamus dysfunction, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, glycometabolism, lipid metabolism and obesity. Craniopharyngiomas can show some characteristics of malignant tumours, such as invasion to the surrounding tissues, repetitious recurrence, and rapid growth. These characteristics cause considerable difficulty in patient treatment for neurosurgeons all over the world. This volume presents detailed information about craniopharyngioma anatomy, classification and treatment.

Craniopharyngiomas: A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment and Outcome is a comprehensive guide to the science, diagnosis and treatment of craniopharyngiomas, rare brain tumors that grow near the pituitary gland. Even though these tumors are generally benign, due to the location, prognosis was often bleak. This reference provides a resource for specialists requiring a comprehensive overview of this rare form of tumor, outlining new diagnostic, imaging and surgical techniques, including endoscopic endonasal cranial base surgery, which enable successful neurosurgical intervention. With a better prognosis, patients require multidisciplinary management from neurology, otolaryngology, radiation oncology, endocrinology, and neuropathology. The only comprehensive guide to the science, diagnosis and treatment of craniopharyngiomas Includes multidisciplinary management from neurology, otolaryngology, radiation oncology, endocrinology, and neuropathology Detailed coverage of the impacts of new diagnostic, imaging and neurosurgical techniques including endoscopic endonasal cranial base surgery

This book provides up-to-date coverage of the most relevant topics in the diagnosis and management of craniopharyngiomas. After introductory discussion of natural history and clinical presentation, individual chapters are devoted to pathological and molecular aspects, use of diagnostic imaging techniques, the surgical approach to craniopharyngiomas, radiotherapy and radiosurgery, and associated endocrine disturbances. A particular feature of the book is the detailed attention devoted to the metabolic consequences of the disease and related treatments, including obesity and electrolyte disturbances, and to cognitive alterations. This book will be of value to oncologists, neurosurgeons, and endocrinologists by assisting in diagnostic workup, delivery of appropriate treatment, and management of the serious metabolic and endocrine consequences.

This astute volume brings together the latest expert research on adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (ACPs). ACPs are histologically benign but clinically aggressive tumors exhibiting a high propensity for local invasion into the hypothalamus, optic and vascular structures. These tumors, as well as the current treatments, may result in pan-hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, morbid obesity followed by type II diabetes mellitus, blindness, as well as serious behavioral and psychosocial impairments. Exploring in detail advances in both the understanding of tumor biology as well as clinical advances in patient management are explored in detail, this book will also look towards potential new treatment approaches. Basic Research and Clinical Aspects of Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma is the first book compiling all current research on ACPs. Mouse and human studies have unequivocally demonstrated that mutations in CTNNB1 encoding -catenin underlie the etiology of the majority, if not all ACP tumors. Genetic studies in mice have shown that ACPs are tumors of the pituitary gland and not of the hypothalamus as previously thought, and are derived from Rathke’s pouch precursors. In addition, a role for tissue-specific adult pituitary stem cells has been revealed as causative of ACP. Together, these studies have provided novel insights into the molecular and cellular etiology as well as the pathogenesis of human ACP. Finally, this volume covers new treatment approaches that have been shown to be effective both in reducing ACP burden as well as reducing the morbidity associated with therapy.

This book is a comprehensive guide to skull base imaging. Skull base is often a “no man’s land” that requires treatment using a team approach between neurosurgeons, head and neck surgeons, vascular interventionalists, radiotherapists, chemotherapists, and other professionals. Imaging of the skull base can be challenging because of its intricate anatomy and the broad breadth of presenting pathology. Although considerably complex, the anatomy is comparatively constant, while presenting pathologic entities may be encountered at myriad stages. Many of the pathologic processes that involve the skull base are rare, causing the average clinician to require help with their diagnosis and treatment. But, before any treatment can begin, these patients must come to imaging and receive the best test to establish the correct diagnosis and make important decisions regarding management and treatment. This book provides a guide to neuoradiologists performing that imaging and as a reference for related physicians and surgeons. The book is divided into nine sections: Pituitary Region, Cerebellopontine Angle, Anterior Cranial Fossa, Middle Cranial Fossa, Craniovertebral Junction, Posterior Cranial Fossa, Inflammatory, Sarcomas, and Anatomy. Within each section, either common findings in those skull areas or different types of sarcomas or inflammatory conditions and their imaging are detailed. The anatomy section gives examples of normal anatomy from which to compare findings against. All current imaging techniques are covered, including: CT, MRI, US, angiography, CT cisternography, nuclear medicine and plain film radiography. Each chapter additionally includes key points, classic clues, incidence, differential diagnosis, recommended treatment, and prognosis. Skull Base Imaging provides a clear and concise reference for all physicians who encounter patients with these complex and relatively rare maladies.

This highly illustrated book explores the pathological and radiological diagnosis of various brain tumors. Featuring nearly 500 high-quality colored images, it covers MR images, intra-operative squash cytology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry microphotographs of various brain and spine tumors, including differential diagnosis, as well as the molecular diagnosis and prognosis of each tumor. The book also presents case studies of typical and rare presentations, and introduces readers to a new procedure for intra-operative cytology: the modified fields stain, which stains the slide within 2 minutes, allowing quick, accurate reporting. This book uses concise text and a consistent point-wise format that makes reading and reviewing easy. The radiological and pathological correlates of brain and spine tumors serve as a ready-reference resource for residents, surgical and neuropathologists, neuroradiologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists and research scientists.

This text was created to fill a void in the practice of pediatric neuropathology. It is a practical and well-illustrated book representing a collection of interesting, common and unusual tumors for a diagnostic exercise by the reader. The wide reception of the first edition by the pathology community is testament to its relevance and utility in the pathologic diagnosis of pediatric brain tumors. This edition covers topics ranging from neuroimaging, the use of crush and touch preps during intraoperative consultation, classic histological features of pediatric brain tumors, tumor variants, and a miscellaneous group of challenging tumors. Chapters consist of essential diagnostic information and features highlighting recognized variants and their differential diagnoses. A section on molecular pathology and electron microscopy is also included for each tumor category, along with a list of classic reviews and innovative articles on each of the tumor entities as suggested reading at the end of each chapter. Atlas of Pediatric Brain Tumors, Second Edition represents the state of the art in pediatric neuropathology with easy utility beside the microscope.