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Congenital intracranial neoplasms
Insights
Congenital intracranial tumors in infants present with enlarged heads and poor prognoses. Early diagnosis is possible with advanced imaging, but treatment remains challenging due to tumor size and location.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Neuro-oncology
- Neonatal Medicine
Background:
- Congenital intracranial tumors are rare but serious conditions in infants.
- These tumors can lead to significant neurological complications, including increased intracranial pressure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical and histological features of congenital intracranial tumors in a cohort of infants.
- To review treatment outcomes and discuss diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 12 infants diagnosed with congenital intracranial tumors.
- Review of clinical presentation, histological findings, treatment interventions, and outcomes.
- Literature review on diagnostic techniques and treatment strategies.
Main Results:
- 12 infants (5 boys, 7 girls) presented with enlarged heads or signs of increased intracranial pressure within the first year of life.
- Tumor locations were equally divided between supratentorial and infratentorial.
- Treatments included ventriculoperitoneal shunting (6), surgical tumor removal (5), and irradiation (4).
- Prognosis was poor, with an average survival of 13 months.
Conclusions:
- Congenital intracranial tumors in infants have a poor prognosis despite advances in diagnostic imaging.
- Early diagnosis via computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging is feasible.
- Treatment success is limited by tumor size and location, necessitating further research into effective therapeutic approaches.
Abstract:
The clinical and histological findings are described in 12 infants (5 boys, 7 girls) suffering from congenital intracranial tumors. An enlarged head or signs of increased intracranial pressure were present at birth or within the first 12 months of life (average 5.1 months). The histological picture of the tumors (6 supratentorial, 6 infratentorial) varied. In 6 children a ventriculoperitoneal shunt was necessary; partial or total removal of the tumor was attempted in 5 infants; 4 patients received irradiation. Prognosis was poor, and survival time averaged 13 months. A short review of the literature is given; new diagnostic techniques (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) allow earlier diagnosis. However, because of the size and location, successful treatment is rarely possible.