What are tectal gliomas?

Also known as: tectal plate glioma, childhood brainstem glioma, midbrain tumor, intrinsic glioma, focal glioma and others.

A tectal glioma (from a type of glial cell that nourishes and supports other brain cells) is a slow growing, generally benign (non-spreading), brain tumor in children 3-16 years of age, situated in the upper portion or roof of the brain stem. This area of the brain controls important body functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM