Modern concepts of topographic-anatomical classification of craniopharyngiomas: literature review

Abstract

To analyze topographic and anatomical classifications of CP available in the world literature. Searching for literature data on classifications of CPs was performed in the PubMed, eLibrary and CyberLeninka databases between 1960 and 2023. We used the following keywords: «craniopharyngioma», «third ventricle», «endoscopic transnasal surgery for craniopharyngiomas». We found 21 eligible manuscripts. The vast majority of studies are devoted to topographic and anatomical location of CPs in their own series: baseline growth along hypothalamic-pituitary axis (4 classifications), relation to the third ventricle (5 classifications), pituitary stalk (2 classifications), optic nerves (2 classifications) and meninges (3 classifications), classification of papillomatous CPs (1 report) and adamantinomatous CPs (1 report), functional classifications of hypothalamic lesions (3 reports). Topographic classifications of CPs characterize their relation to the most important basal brain structures: pituitary gland, hypothalamus, optic pathways and circle of Willis. There are also single topographic and anatomical classifications with emphasis on morphological component of CP. Exact anatomical and topographic variant of CP is often of decisive importance for choosing the optimal surgical approach, possibility and expediency of total resection. Further clarification of relationship of CP to diencephalic structures is associated with improvement of diagnostic methods, in particular, high-resolution MRI (7.0 T) and MR tractography.