Which subtypes of pituitary adenoma must you be aware of as tending to be more clinically agressive?

Certain subtypes of pituitary adenoma have been shown to be more clinically aggressive in that they tend to be more invasive, have earlier recurrence, and are more resistant to treatment. The following adenoma subtypes are recognized as having a more aggressive clinical behavior:

- Acidophil stem cell adenoma

- Crooke cell adenoma

- Lactotroph adenoma when occurring in men

- Pit-1 positive plurihormonal adenoma

- Sparsely granulated somatotroph adenoma

- Silent corticotroph adenoma

Thanks to Dr. Bea Lopes of the University of Virginia for consulting on the compilation of this list!

Best Post of March 2017: Why is the confluence of the cerebral venous sinuses called the "torcula"?

The next in our "Best of the Month" series is from March 3, 2017:

Torcula is derived from a Latin word meaning to “twist” and was also used to refer to a wine press. Within the cranium the venous sinuses come together at the back of the skull in a structure called the confluence of the sinuses. This cavity has four large veins radiating from it, supposedly resembling the spigots that pour dark purple juice out of the four sides of the ancient wine press used to squeeze grapes with a handled screw on the top. The same stem is found in common words such as torture and tortuous.

Additional photograph of remarkable CNS/PNS dissection

I wanted to share this additional photo related to the last post. It was taken by our staff photographer, Lisa Litzenberger.

Remarkable en bloc dissection of human central and peripheral nervous system accomplished at University of Colorado

Shannon Curran, MS with her dissection

Shannon Curran, a graduate student in the Modern Human Anatomy Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, recently completed an en bloc dissection of the central nervous system along with an extensive portion of the peripheral nervous system from a human cadaver donor.  "It's pretty amazing," said Assistant Professor Maureen Stabio "There are only a handful of these prosections in the world ... We are so lucky to have such talented and ambitious students on our campus."

Curran, who is known among students and faculty as a preternaturally efficient prosector, completed the dissection in under 100 hours. Further detailed work is planned on the specimen, including dissection of the extraocular muscles away from the eyeballs while maintaining their connection to the brain. Discussion is underway about loaning the specimen to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for community health education.

CNS en bloc dissection with extensive portion of PNS

Connection to the eyeballs is maintained, with plans to dissect away extraocular muscles

Detail showing maintained connection with digital nerves of the left hand

Prominent Neuropathologist Dan Brat named Pathology Chair at Northwestern

Leading neuropathologist Dan Brat, MD, PhD has been named chair of the pathology department at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Daniel Brat, MD, PhD

Brat has been serving as professor and vice chair for Translational Programs in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine.

Brat joins a lengthening list of neuropathologists who are departmental chairs. The list includes:

Douglas Anthony at Brown

Jennifer Baccon at Akron

Steven Carroll at Medical University of South Carolina

Robert Corona at SUNY Upstate

Jeffrey Golden at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Eyas Hattab at University of Louisville

Alex Judkins at Children's Hospital Los Angeles

David Louis at Massachusetts General Hospital

Jenny Libien at SUNY Downstate

Thomas Montine currently at University of Washington and soon to be at Stanford

Edwin Monuki at the University of California Irvine

Robert Mrak at the University of Toledo

Amyn Rojiani at Augusta University

Kevin Roth at Columbia

John Schweitzer at East Tennessee State University

Best of luck to Dan in his new adventure leading one of the most prominent pathology departments in the country!

Best Post of February 2017: Hunched Over a Microscope, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Sketched the Secrets of How the Brain Works

The next in our "Best of the Month" series comes from February 20, 2017:

Last month, the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis opened a traveling exhibit that is the first dedicated solely to Ramón y Cajal’s work. According to a New York Times article, it will make stops in Minneapolis; Vancouver, British Columbia; New York City; Cambridge, Mass.; and Chapel Hill, N.C., through April 2019.

Ramon y Cajal in his laboratory, circa 1885

 Thanks to Drs. Mark Cohen and John Evans for alerting me to this exhibit.