Aim:Intracranial germinoma is a rare malignant tumour in childhood with an excellent prognosis under adequate therapy.Finding the right diagnosis at an early stage is difficult because of the slow-growing tumour and t...Aim:Intracranial germinoma is a rare malignant tumour in childhood with an excellent prognosis under adequate therapy.Finding the right diagnosis at an early stage is difficult because of the slow-growing tumour and the resulting lack of clinical symptoms.Methods:Our patients with histologically secured germinoma were retrospectively assessed concerning growth retardation,pituitary hormone status,magnetic resonance imaging scan results and clinical symptoms to find out whether there is a leading parameter.Results:In all our patients,the leading symptom was growth retardation of at least 2 y before being diagnosed.Conclusion:Growth retardation seems to be a very early sign of germinoma in the suprasellar region.Therefore,early neuroradiological imaging combined with pituitary hormone status should be considered in every paediatric patient with a history of secondary growth retardation.展开更多
文摘Aim:Intracranial germinoma is a rare malignant tumour in childhood with an excellent prognosis under adequate therapy.Finding the right diagnosis at an early stage is difficult because of the slow-growing tumour and the resulting lack of clinical symptoms.Methods:Our patients with histologically secured germinoma were retrospectively assessed concerning growth retardation,pituitary hormone status,magnetic resonance imaging scan results and clinical symptoms to find out whether there is a leading parameter.Results:In all our patients,the leading symptom was growth retardation of at least 2 y before being diagnosed.Conclusion:Growth retardation seems to be a very early sign of germinoma in the suprasellar region.Therefore,early neuroradiological imaging combined with pituitary hormone status should be considered in every paediatric patient with a history of secondary growth retardation.
