Frozen Section Diagnosis of Pediatric Brain Tumors

Abstract

Brain tumors represent a significant group of tumors seen in the pediatric population. Intraoperative consultation represents a critical and integral component of the management of these tumors. Since the prevalence, frequency, and location of the different histologic types of brain tumors vary significantly between children and adults, it is reasonable to expect that diagnoses entertained during intraoperative consultation will also differ, influencing the aggressiveness of surgical resection and course of management. It is, therefore, imperative for surgical pathologists responsible for pediatric patients to become familiar with these entities and the diagnostic challenges they pose during the course of surgery.

Keywords: Dysembryoplastic neuropeithelial tumor; Frozen section diagnosis; Infiltrating astrocytoma; Intraoperative consultation; Medulloblastoma; Pediatric brain tumors; Pilocytic astrocytoma; Primitive neuroectodermal tumors.