Benign mature teratoma of the ovary - opened cystic ovary with tooth-carriying head "bump". The cyst contains yellow tallow with hair.
Additional findings: Mature teratoma (picture 2, picture 3)
Case: 43-year-old woman with adnexal mass
Source: © PathoPic
A teratoma is a tumor that develops from germ cells and may thus contain components of all three germ layers.
We distinguish mature and immature teratomas, the first kind contain mature differentiated tissue, such as skin, hair, teeth, muscle and nerve tissue. Rarely, teratomas contain complex structures such as eyes, hands, feet or other limbs and organs. Teratomas are usually cystic, encapsulated, and the wall of the cyst is lined with epithelium, but there are also solid teratomas, or those which have both cystic and solid components.
Teratomas of the woman, e.g. of the ovary are usually well differentiated and benign. Only 3% of teratomas are malignant in women, whereas in men, e.g. teratomas of the testis, which are also known as teratoma carcinoma, are usually malignant and undifferentiated.
There are teratomas, which consist of several tissues, but also mono-dermal teratomas, such as the dermoid cyst. Another special type of teratoma is the so-called teratoma fetiforme. This kind of teratoma is similar to a malformed fetus, the tissue is well differentiated. Dispute is whether described cases of fetal Inklusio also go back to fetiforme teratomas, or whether this has actually been an intergrowth of two fetuses in the womb.
