A pineal tumour with features of "pineal anlage tumour".

A primitive tumour of the pineal region in a 9 month-old boy caused hydrocephalus, ataxic gait and paraplegia leading to death after 9 months of evolution. Histological and histochemical examination revealed a pinealoblastoma with melanotic cells as well as cartilaginous formations. The leptomeningeal seeding of the tumour showed neuroblastic and neuronal differentiation. A diagnosis of pineoblastoma with neuroepithelial and ectomesenchymal differentiation was made. This tumour belongs to a recently defined category of pineal tumours, called pineal anlage tumours.