Ganglioglioma: Light and electron microscopic study

Abstract

The tumour tissue surgically removed from the left posterior frontal subcortical area of a 16-year-old girl was studied by light and electron microscopy. The histological picture of the neoplasm was basically astrocytic, but light microscopy was unable to ascertain the neoplastic nature of the singly-scattered, mononucleate nerve cells. Electron microscopy substantiated the neoplastic characteristics of the astrocytes and revealed the neoplastic nature of the nerve cells. The ultrastructure of neoplastic neurons ranged from one feature like neuroblasts to another similar to adult nerve cells. These findings indicate that the tumour under study is a ganglioglioma and that it may arise from an embryonic rest.