Intracranial Mature Teratoma in an Adult Patient: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Primary intracranial teratoma is a subtype of germ cell tumors, classified into three subtypes. They occur very rarely, with only several reported individual cases in adults. Case Description We present a patient with an intermittent headache in the right frontal region. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a right sided high frontal parasagittal mass that compressed the falx, the right lateral ventricle, as well as the brain parenchyma. Patient underwent surgical treatment. Histopathological analysis described mature teratoma. Four months after the surgical treatment there were no signs of residual intracranial mass or relapse. Discussion Primary intracranial teratoma in adults has a nonspecific clinical presentation. MRI reveals a solitary irregular mass with multilocularity and mixed signals derived from different tissues. The patients age, biochemical markers, and patohistological analysis are necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Conclusion Teratoma treatment strategy still remains controversial. It includes radical resection whenever possible. Since the residual portion of mature teratoma may contain part of immature or malignant tissue, tumor recurrence after surgical removal is possible. Also, new tumor mass could occur at other sites intracranial after the initial one was removed. Thus, although patients usually recover, they should be followed-up for a long period of time.

Mature cystic teratoma of the right cerebellopontine angle: a rare case report

“…4 Being developmental inclusion tumour, intracranial teratomas are most often located at the midlinein the pineal region (50%) and suprasellar region (30%). 5 Mature cystic teratomas at the CP angle are very uncommon. 6 Clinical presentation is similar to other common tumours at CP angle.…”

Mature cystic teratoma of the temporal lobe: A rare tumor with an unusual location

“…Histopathological examination of mature teratoma shows a well-differentiated tissue with low mitotic activity, while immature teratoma shows hypercellular embryonic mesenchyme or primitive neuroectodermal elements mimicking fetal tissue that can be mixed with mature tissue elements with a rare incidence of malignant transformation. 22,23 There were no malignant components seen in our specimen. However, it is pivotal to determine the true histopathological diagnosis with extensive sampling, as even the presence of a minor part of the immature tissue can change the treatment option.…”

“… 28 While there is uneventful recovery for most of the patients, malignant teratomas or new teratomas may arise intra‐ or extracranially, so they should be followed up for a longer period. 22 …”

Intramedullary cervical spinal cord teratoma

“…Teratomas also occur in the intracranial medulla. [ 40 , 41 ] However, we have not found any literature describing the association between intracranial intramedullary teratomas and spinal intramedullary teratomas.…”