Craniopharyngioma of the third ventricle

A woman, aged 33 years, presented with headache, drowsiness, and attacks of loss of consciousness with incontinence, during the eight months previous to admission. A CT scan showed a round cystic mass in the third ventricle which was interpreted as a colloid cyst. A myodil ventriculogramm showed the anterior part of the third ventricle completely occupied by tumour. Eleven months later, because of worsening of symptoms, a new scan was carried out, and the presence of an intraventricular tumour in the anterior part of the third ventricle was confirmed. The patient died four months later. The histological diagnosis of the previous biopsy, as well as the post mortem examination, showed a craniopharyngioma of the third ventricle. There was no macroscopic or histological involvement of the pituitary gland by the tumour.