Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) Practice Exam

Which tumor type is associated with the choroid plexus and may lead to obstructive hydrocephalus?

1. Ependymoma

2. Pineoblastoma

3. Medulloblastoma

4. Schwannoma

The correct answer is: Ependymoma

Ependymoma is the correct answer in this context. This tumor type originates from ependymal cells, which line the ventricles of the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord. Because the choroid plexus, which is responsible for producing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), is located within the lateral and fourth ventricles, an ependymoma can disrupt normal CSF flow. This obstruction can lead to obstructive hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by an accumulation of CSF in the ventricles due to impaired drainage. In contrast, while pineoblastomas, medulloblastomas, and schwannomas are also types of tumors associated with the central nervous system, they have different characteristics: - Pineoblastoma typically affects the pineal gland and is less directly associated with the choroid plexus. - Medulloblastoma arises in the cerebellum and can metastasize through the CSF, but it is not primarily associated with the choroid plexus. - Schwannomas are tumors of Schwann cells, mainly affecting nerves and not typically related to the ventricles or obstructive hydrocephalus. Hence, the specific association of ependymoma with the choroid plex