Clinical and computed tomographic correlations of pineal neoplasms

Ten patients with pineal neoplasms were evaluated by CT. Germinomas appear as hyperdense lesions in the posterior third ventricular region on plain scan and show homogeneous enhancement which sometimes extends to the anterior third and lateral periventricular region. The pineal gland usually appears normal. Tumors originating from pineal cell cause abnormal pineal calcification and appear as iso or hypodense masses with heterogeneous calcification on plain scan. They usually show heterogeneous enhancement. Based upon CT findings differentiation of the varied types tumors of pineal region or differentiation from astrocytomas is not usually possible.