Walsh & Hoyt: Tumors Involving the Lateral Ventricles

The lateral ventricles are C-shaped cavities that wrap around the ipsilateral thalamus and are situated deep within the cerebral hemispheres. Each lateral ventricle is divided into a body, a trigone or atrium, and three prolongations: the frontal (anterior), temporal (inferior), and occipital (posterior) horns. Tumors that originate within the ventricles represent about 5% of all intracranial tumors and include ependymomas, meningiomas, neurocytomas, choroid plexus papillomas, epidermoids, cavernous hemangiomas, and other congenital tumors. In a majority of instances, tumors of the lateral ventricles produce only signs of increased ICP by obstruction of flow of CSF through the ventricle.