What's on this Page
What is the classical histopathologic finding in ependymomas?
Ependymoma is the most common primary tumor of the spinal cord in adults.
Perivascular pseudorosettes (anuclear zones formed by radially arranged tumor cell processes surrounding central blood vessels) are the key histologic feature of ependymomas.
Myxopapillary ependymoma is commonly located in the region of the conus medullaris/cauda equina/filum terminale.
These tumors are often encapsulated.
Patients who undergo a complete resection without a breach of the capsule are unlikely to experience tumor spread and have been found to have an improved prognosis.
Sources
(From Colnat-Coulbois S, Kremer S, Weinbreck N et al: Lipomatous meningioma: report of 2 cases and review of the literature. Surg Neurol 69(4):398-402, 2008.)
