Reversible pure word deafness due to inferior colliculi compression by a pineal germinoma in young adult

We report a clinical case of a 19-year-old male patient who developed pure word deafness due to the
local compressive effect of a pineal germinoma on the inferior colliculi of the quadrigeminal plate. After
percutaneous radiation therapy the size of the tumor decreased significantly, while audiometry demonstrated
a complete regression of the auditory deficit. Since pure word deafness is commonly attributed
to temporal lesions, the inferior colliculi represent an exceptional site for these symptoms. The pathophysiological
background and the scarce literature on pure word deafness, especially the one related to
neoplasms of the tectal region, are briefly discussed.