From The Brain Tumor Book

Front 1

basal ganglia

Back 1

masses of nerve cells deep within the brain at the base of the cerebral hemispheres

Front 2

brain stem

Back 2

bottom most portion of the brain connceting the cerebrun with the spinal cord. the midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata and reticular formation are a part of the brain stem

Front 3

cerebellopontine angle

Back 3

the angle between the pons and the cerebellum

Front 4

cerebellum

Back 4

second largest area og the brain-- two hemispheres. connected to the brain stem

Front 5

cerebrospinal fluid

Back 5

clear watery fluid made by the ventricles that bathes and cushions. it circulates through the centricles and the subarachnoid space

Front 6

cerebrum

Back 6

largest areas of the brain, two hemispheres.

Front 7

corpus callosum

Back 7

connest the two hemispheres

Front 8

cranial nerves

Back 8

12 pairs

Front 9

hypothalamus

Back 9

makes up part of the wall of the third ventricle and is the base of the optic chiasm

Front 10

medulla oblongata

Back 10

a part of the brain stem that connects the brain with the spinal cord. contains the origins og the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th crainal nerves

Front 11

meninges

Back 11

three thin membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord

Front 12

midbrain

Back 12

short portion of the brain stem between the pons and the cerebral hemispheres. the top of the midbrain is the tectum. the 3rd and 4th cranial nerves originate her

Front 13

optic chiasm

Back 13

under the hypothalamus where the two optic nerves cross over to the opposite side

Front 14

pineal gland

Back 14

lies below the corpus callosum. produces melatonin

Front 15

pituitary gland

Back 15

attached to and receives messages from the hypothalamus. consists of two lobes ant and post. prolactin, corticotropin, and gh are produced here

Front 16

pons

Back 16

part of the brain stem. the origin of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th cranial nerves

Front 17

posterior fossa

Back 17

contains the cerebellum and brain stem. tentorium seperates the posterior fossa from the cerebral hemishperes

Front 18

reticular formation

Back 18

central core of the brain stem. connects with all parts of the brain and brain stem

Front 19

sellar region

Back 19

area around the sella turcica

Front 20

supratentorium

Back 20

area above the tentorium containing the cerebral hemispheres

Front 21

tentorium

Back 21

flap of meninges seperating the cerebral hemispheres from the brain structures in the posterior fossa

Front 22

thalamus

Back 22

surrounds the third ventricle

Front 23

acoustic neuroma

Back 23

-benign tumor of vestibulocochlear nerve
-located in the angle btwn the pons and cerebellum in posterior fossa
-grows very slowly
-middle aged adults
-females twice as likely
-bilateral tumors are rare and familial

Front 24

anaplastic astrocytoma AKA maliganant astrocytoma

Back 24

-infiltrating malignant tumors
-grow rapidly

Front 25

astrocytoma

Back 25

-arise from astrocytes (supportive tissue)
-most common primary CNS tumor (about 50% of all brain and spinal cord tumor)

Front 26

butterfly glioma

Back 26

hight grade astrocytoma
butterfly appearance on scans because it has spread through both spheres

Front 27

low grade astrocytoma

Back 27

-pilocytic astrocytomas
-subependymal giant cell astrocytoma
-noninfiltrating
-may form cysts or form out ofcysts
-slow growing-- mets rare

Front 28

pilocytic astrocytomas

Back 28

-occur mainly in children
-most benign of astrocytomas
-cerebellar astrocytomas and optic tract gliomas are oftem pilocytic

Front 29

subependymal giant cell astrocytoma

Back 29

ventricular tumor associated with tuberous sclerosis

Front 30

brain stem gliomas

Back 30

10-20% brain tumors in children are brain stem glioma
may be astrocytoma, ganglioma, ependymoma
diffuse, focal, exophytic. cervicomedullary are the subtypes

Front 31

most common subtype of brain stem glioma

Back 31

diffuse (60-70%)

Front 32

cerebellar astrocytoma

Back 32

low grade localized cystic tumor
more common in children

Front 33

chondroma

Back 33

rare benign tumor
arises at base of skull especially in the parasellar area
composed of cartilage formed by the meninges and attached to the dura

Front 34

chondrosarcoma

Back 34

very rare
arises from bone and is composed of cartilage
rarely mets and slow growing
most common site is sphenoid bone
common in adults older than 40

Front 35

chordoma

Back 35

occurs at base of the skull or the end of the spine
benign extradural tumor
frequently invades bone
rare tumor
most often found 21-40

Front 36

choroid plexus tumor

Back 36

rare benign tumor
most common in children under 12
eventually will block the flow of csf

Front 37

craniopharyngioma

Back 37

benign tumor that arises from embryonic structure
occur in sellar region
may involve third ventricle, optic nerve and pit gland
grow by expansion