A benign pituitary-region neoplasm that originates from Rathke's pouch. The two major histologic and clinical subtypes are adamantinous (or classical) craniopharyngioma and papillary craniopharyngioma. The adamantinous form presents in children and adolescents as an expanding cystic lesion in the pituitary region. The cystic cavity is filled with a black viscous substance and histologically the tumor is composed of adamantinomatous epithelium and areas of calcification and necrosis. Papillary craniopharyngiomas occur in adults, and histologically feature a squamous epithelium with papillations. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1998, Ch14, p50)
diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor
dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor
gangliocytoma
low grade glioma +
melanotic neuroectodermal tumor
meningeal melanocytoma
multinodular and vacuolating neuronal tumor
myxoid glioneuronal tumor
neurilemmoma of the fifth cranial nerve
neuroendocrine tumor +
papillary glioneuronal tumor
perineural angioma
peripheral nervous system benign neoplasm +
polymorphous low grade neuroepithelial tumour of the young