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Colloid Cyst
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Colloid Cyst

Part of a coronal section through the foramina of Monro showing a colloid cyst of the third ventricle.
Colloid cysts can intermittently obstruct the foramina causing severe headaches or can become impacted in the third ventricle causing acute hydrocephalus and herniation.
Colloid cysts are said to arise from Rathke's pouch.
(Description By:Margaret Grunnet,M.D. )
(Image Contrib. by: UCHC )
Colloid Cyst
Etiology

Unknown
Pathogenesis

The colloid cyst is thought to arise from the vestigial paraphysis in the anterior end of the third ventricle at the level of the foramina of Monroe.,
Epidemiology

Colloid cysts are rare tumors of the third ventricle, making up 2% of glial tumors and seen most often in young adults.
General Gross Description

The colloid cyst consists of a round encapsulated structure containing a grayish translucent firm material. which lies just behind the foramina of Monroe and sometimes impacts itself in the foramina causing acute hydrocephalus.
General Microscopic Description

The tumor has a collagenous capsule lined by columnar to cuboidal cells.
The central PAS positive material may contain macrophages or debris.
Clinical Correlation

Since the colloid cyst is just behind the foramina of Monroe, it can move into a position occluding one or both of the foramina causing an acute rise in intracranial pressure with symptoms are severe headache which may be intermittent as the tumor occludes and unoccludes the foramina.
If the rise in intracranial pressure is severe enough or prolonged enough the patient may become comatose or die.
References

Poirer J et.al. Manual of basic neuropathology. Philadelphia: Saunders, 1990, pp. 29-30.
Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 1346.
Colloid Cyst
Synopsis by: M.L. Grunnet M.D. (TX2000M33400)[370]
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