Affiliations: Department of Pathology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate
Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India | Department of Neurosurgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate
Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India | Department of Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Ram Nawal Rao, M.D., %Assistant Professor,
Department of Pathology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Sciences, Rae Bareli Road, 226014, Lucknow, India. Tel.: +91 4480 0490 4564;
E-mail: rnrao@sgpgi.ac.in, rnawalrao@gmail.com
Abstract: We report a case of thalamic mixed germ cell tumor of in a
13-year-old boy. The boy presented with headache, generalized seizures and
right-sided paresis of recent onset. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance
imaging revealed a mass in the left thalamus with hydrocephalus. The
histopathological examination of operated mass showed an immature teratoma with
large areas of germinomatous components. The predominant components of immature
teratoma were composed of several types of tissue representing different
germinal layers (endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm) and showing varying degrees
of differentiation. This was diagnosed as a mixed germ cell tumor. A subgroup
of tumor secretes specific tumor markers, including α-fetoprotein and β-human chorionic
gonadotrophin, which may be helpful in pre-operative diagnosis. Germinomas most
often occur in pineal or supraseller region but occasionally develop in highly
unusual locations like the thalamus. Those presenting in unusual locations pose
a diagnostic challenge. Pre-operative diagnosis, however, may change the line
of management.
