Q. Can a pineal cyst affect the pituitary gland?
Pineal tumors are rare but do occur. One of the common ones is a germinoma that is derived from germ cells. These tumors are usually multifocal and can involve the pituitary stalk presenting with headaches and diabetes insipidus.
Q. Can a pineal tumor be mistaken for a cyst?
Pineal cysts are benign cystic lesions identified in 1%–4% of MR images of healthy subjects. Although some authors advocate only clinical follow-up for typical asymptomatic pineal cysts, this is not yet widely accepted, and it has been reported that a pineocytoma can mimic a typical pineal cyst in imaging appearance.
Q. What happens if you have a cyst on your pineal gland?
Pineal cysts usually have no clinical implications and remain asymptomatic for years. The most common symptoms include headache, vertigo, visual and oculomotor disturbances, and obstructive hydrocephalus.
Q. When is a pineal cyst considered large?
While small benign cysts of the pineal gland are a common incidental autopsy finding in the adolescent and adult years, lesions larger than 0.5 cm in diameter are rare. Cysts 2 cm or larger may cause neurologic symptoms and signs from aqueductal obstruction and tectal compression.
Q. Can pineal cyst be misdiagnosed?
Of the patients referred for study, the cysts were most often initially misdiagnosed as a pineocytoma in eight and a pilocytic astrocytoma in three. Only two patients were correctly diagnosed as having pineal cysts.
Q. Is a pineal gland cyst a tumor?
These cysts are benign, which means not malignant or cancerous. Sometimes an MRI of the pineal cyst needs to be repeated with an intravenous contrast (dye) to rule out a pineal tumor. The cyst is rarely symptomatic; however, when symptoms do occur, they are difficult to attribute specifically to the pineal cyst.
Q. What is the difference between a pineal cyst and a pineal tumor?
In contrast to cysts, tumors are an abnormal mass of tissue. They can be either noncancerous or cancerous. If a pineal gland tumor is found, treatment depends on the specific type, size and location of the tumor, as well as the individual’s overall health and preferences.
Q. Is a pineal cyst a brain tumor?
Pineal cysts are fluid-filled spaces within the pineal gland. The pineal gland sits nearly in the center of your brain, and is responsible for hormones related to sleep-wake cycle. Pineal cysts are common, occurring in about 1-5% of the population. These cysts are benign, which means not malignant or cancerous.
Q. Can a pineal cyst cause death?
Symptomatic cysts are rare, and may require surgical intervention. Sudden death due to a cystic lesion of the pineal gland is very rare. A case of a 22 year old man who collapsed and died unexpectedly is reported.
