Description
The specimen is a brain sectioned in the horizontal plane. There is diffuse swelling of the brain
with flattening of the gyri. The left temporal lobe is enlarged by a haemorrhagic tumour mass.
This contains focal areas of necrosis and cystic degeneration. The anterior part of the tumour
lies in the frontal operculum, while medially there is infiltration of the insula and claustrum. The
adjacent brain shows marked oedema with distortion of the ventricular system and pronounced
midline shift to the right. Examination of the inferior surface of the brain shows cerebellar
grooving consistent with raised intracranial pressure. Histologic examination of the tumour
showed an astrocytoma grade IV.