Relationship between calcification and ossification in craniopharyngioma / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the fine structure of ossification in craniopharyngioma and its relationship with calcification. Methods The data of 54 patients (31 male and 23 female) with craniopharyngioma aged from 3 to 66 years, admitted to our hospital and received surgery from May 2004 to March 2006, were analyzed. The samples resected from the patients were routinely fixed with 10% formalin and embedded in paraffin. Segments were studied with HE staining. Pathological examination confirmed that 41 patients had craniopharyngioma that was ameloblastoma type and 13 were with craniopharyngioma that was squamous cell type. Microstructure and tissue type of the tumor specimens, and the characteristics of ossification were analyzed; electron microscope was employed to observe the ultrastructure of craniopharyngioma ossification; the surgical and imaging data were also compared; based on the above results, the relationship between calcification and ossification in craniopharyngioma was analyzed. Results Calcification was found negative in 7 patients, mild result in 11, egg-shell calcification in 11 and severe calcification in 12 in patients with craniopharyngioma that was ameloblastoma type. Calcification was found negative in patients with craniopharyngioma that was squamous cell type. The ossifications were found in the tumor with egg-shell or severe calcification, but absent in the tumor with mild or negative calcification. The distribution of ossification was closely related to the degree of calcification. Conclusion Calcification is the basement for the formation of ossification, and the ossification makes the tumor cell colonized in the calcification.