Treatment in tumours of the pineal region: value of sterotaxic biopsy.

The treatment of tumours of the pineal region is the subject of keen controversy between advocates of surgical excision and those of radiotherapy with ventricular shunting. The proponents of these extremes often seem to ignore the wide pathological variety of tumours of this site. Attempted excision of a germinoma invading the walls of the 3rd ventricle is as futile and dangerous as irradiation of a teratoma. Stereotaxic biopsy provides precise pathological diagnosis and thus allows more specific management; the procedure is safe and no serious complications were experienced in 25 cases.