STEREOTAXIC BIOPSIES OF PINEAL TUMORS - R EFLECTION ON THE RISK AND THEIR INVESTMENTS - REPORT ON 370 CASES

370 stereotactic biopsies of pineal region tumors, from 15 neurosurgic al centers in France have been reviewed with the goal to evaluate the mortality/morbidity rates and diagnostic yield of this procedure. The impact of neuroradiological means of localisation, the probe trajector y, the type of biopsy instrument, the time of shunting are discussed i n order to maximize the diagnostic yield and minimize the mortality/mo rbidity rates. Stereotactic biopsy contribution, as compared to other diagnostic methods, in pineal region tumors was evaluated. The mortali ty rate was 1,3 % (5 patients of 370), 3 patients suffered severe neur ological complication. In relation to the large number of patients in this study, we can assess that the mortality rate of stereotactic biop sy in this region doesn't significantly exceed that of stereotactic br ain tumor biopsies in general.