Spinal epidural metastasis from pineal germinoma.

A 16-year-old boy first presented with a pineal tumour identified by neuroimaging but without positive serum or cerebrospinal fluid markers. The tumour disappeared after 50 Gy cranial irradiation. One year later he returned with spinal epidural metastasis from the pineal germinoma and required emergency surgery. Intraoperative findings showed that the spinal tumour had originated from cerebrospinal fluid dissemination and had passed through the spinal nerve sleeve. The pathologic diagnosis of the tumour was of a pure germinoma metastasis. An epidural tumour frequently requires emergency diagnosis and treatment. Attention should be paid to the possibility of this rare but serious clinical situation caused by a metastasis from a pineal germinoma.