Abstract
Germ cell tumors have been classified into germinoma, embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma and teratoma by a World Health Organization proposal, although this subgrouping is still controversial. This paper reviews clinical, computed tomographic (CT) and angiographic data of 14 patients with histologically verified germ cell tumors. These 13 males and one female, ranging from 5 to 34 years in age, included 6 cases of teratoma, 5 of germinoma and 3 of embryonal carcinoma. On plain CT, perifocal edema was never seen in cases with teratoma or germinoma, but was usual in those with embryonal carcinoma. Teratoma, although often containing calcium deposits, was isodense in most parts of the mass, while germinoma was always hyperdense in the solid part. CT with intravenous iodine demonstrated some enhancing effect within the tumor mass in all cases, but it differed in intensity from one group to another. Enhancement was less intense or slight in germinoma, whereas it was marked in all of embryonal carcinoma and most of teratoma. Cerebral angiography showed abnormal tumor vessels and dense tumor stain in embryonal carcinoma, but these were not observed in teratoma and faintly in rare occasions of germinoma.
