ArticleScientific reports2020
Single-institution case series of pituitary biopsy for suspected germinoma in the pediatric population: diagnostic utility, operative risks, and biopsy approaches.
Article in Scientific reports, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pituitary stalk biopsy - A systematic review of the safety and efficacy of stalk lesion biopsy.Pituitary · 2026Pooled it
- Pituitary Stalk Lesion Sampling by Transsphenoidal Posterior Lobe Biopsy: A Case Series.Journal of neurological surgery. Part B, Skull base · 2026Article
- Incidence and Predictors for Oncologic Etiologies in Chinese Children with Pituitary Stalk Thickening.Cancers · 2023Article
- Intracranial Germinomas: Diagnosis, Pathogenesis, Clinical Presentation, and Management.Current oncology reports · 2023Review
- Brain and Spinal Tumors Originating from the Germ Line Cells.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2023Article
- Pilot Findings on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced Pituitary Diseases: A Mini Review from Diagnosis to Pathophysiology.Vaccines · 2022Review
- Article
- Pituitary Stalk Germ Cell Tumors: Retrospective Case Series and Literature Review.International journal of endocrinology · 2022Article
- Molecular Pathology and Targeted Therapies for Personalized Management of Central Nervous System Germinoma.Journal of personalized medicine · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Little has been reported on the safety and efficacy of pituitary biopsy in the pediatric population for suspected germinoma. An updated review is needed. Patients who underwent biopsy (endoscopic endonasal vs. open craniotomy) for isolated pituitary stalk thickening were identified. Age, pre- and post-operative endocrine status, surgical approach, length of surgery, estimated blood loss, surgical morbidity, length of ICU stay, total length of stay, and pathology reports were reviewed. Nine patients met inclusion criteria. Germinoma diagnosis was rendered in 7 of 9 patients; 1 patient required two biopsy attempts. Two-patients had histology consistent with inflammation and a subsequently self-limited disease course. Average operative time, blood loss, ICU stay and overall length of stay was just over 2 h, 28 mL, 1.6 days and 3.7 days respectively. There were no intraoperative complications and all patients were discharged home. One patient developed new diabetes insipidus post-operatively. Patients who underwent endoscopic biopsy had decreased operative times and shorter hospitalizations. Biopsy for isolated pituitary stalk thickening for suspected germinoma is generally safe with high diagnostic utility. Importantly, 22% of presumed germinomas on imaging yielded alternative diagnoses on biopsy, adding support for pathology-proven data to guide treatment in relevant cases.
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