Abstract

The 4th edition of the WHO (World Health Organization) classification of tumours of the central nervous system published in 2007 provides several new entities, new variants of established entities as well as changes in the tumour grading system. In addition, new molecular markers are introduced and information about the genetic bases of brain tumour development is extended. This review gives an overview about the current WHO classification system, discusses remaining controversies and provides an introduction of the standard diagnostic procedures.

Keywords: CNS, brain, spinal cord, WHO classification, central nervous system, TNM classification, hematoxylin, eosin, neuroectodermal origin, choroid plexus, pineal neoplasms, astrocytic tumours, pilocytic astrocytomas, eosinophilic granular bodies, EGBs, glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP, pilomyxoid astrocytoma, pleomorphic xanthoastrocytomas, PXAs, diffusely infiltrating astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, glioblastoma, small cell glioblastoma, giant cell glioblastoma, gliomatosis cerebri, oligodendroglioma, mixed glial neoplasms, subependymoma, myxopapillary ependymoma, ependymomas, anaplastic ependymoma, atypical choroid plexus papilloma, choroid plexus papilloma, astroblastoma, chordoid glioma, angiocentric glioma, Dysplastic gangliocytomas, Lhermitte-Duclos disease, desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma, DIA, ganglioglioma, DIG, dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour, gangliogliomas, gangliocytomas, central neurocytoma, extraventricular neurocytoma, cerebellar liponeurocytoma, spinal paraganglioma, papillary glioneuronal tumour, pineoblastoma, papillary tumour, medulloblastoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumours, medulloepithelioma, ependymoblastoma, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumour, AT/RT, Schwannomas, Neurofibromas, Perineurioma, Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour, MPNST, Meningiomas, Haemangioblastoma, Haemangiopericytoma, melanocytoma, malignant melanoma, craniopharyngioma, granular cell tumour (GCT), spindle cell oncocytoma, SCO