PHS FOI 2026-002360

Date of request
18 February 2026
Date of response
09 March 2026
FOI request ID
PHS FOI 2026-002360
  • Performance and monitoring

Request

“For each calendar year from 2000 to the most recent complete year, and for each NHS Health Board / region where available, please provide the following aggregate statistics — no individual patient identifiers are requested:

  1. Diagnostic Metrics
  2. a) Annual number of patients with a pineal cyst recorded on MRI (ICD-10 D35.4 or local equivalent).
  3. b) Annual number of patients with a pineal gland lesion (all types)
  4. c) If available, annual count of all brain MRI scans performed.
  1. Neurosurgery Referrals & Consultations
  2. a) Annual number of neurosurgery referrals for patients with a recorded pineal cyst diagnosis.
  3. b) Annual number of neurosurgery outpatient attendances for pineal cyst diagnoses.
  1. Surgical Interventions
  2. a) Annual counts of surgical procedures for pineal cysts.
  3. b) Annual counts of surgical procedures for all pineal region lesions (including cysts and other pathology).
  4. c) Procedure classification codes (e.g., OPCS codes) used for these surgical treatments, if routinely recorded.
  5. d) counts of A&E admissions of patients with Pineal Cysts
  6. e) average waiting time for a scheduled pineal area lesion surgery (if possible, broken down detailing type of intervention (e.g. extraction, fenestration, shunt etc.) in each Trust
  1. Co-Morbidities

For patients with ICD-10 D35.4 recorded, please provide annual counts of patients also recorded with:

  1. a) Neurological conditions (broad categories using ICD-10 nervous system chapters).
  2. b) Psychiatric conditions (broad categories using ICD-10 mental/behavioural chapters).

If existing aggregated summary tables of co-morbid conditions in pineal cyst patients are held, please include them.

  1. Outcomes & Complications

If held, please provide annual aggregated counts for patients with ICD-10 D35.4 who have recorded:

  1. a) Death where pineal cyst is listed as a cause or contributing cause.
  2. b) Cyst rupture events recorded.
  3. c) Internal cyst bleeding / haemorrhage recorded.
  4. d) Aseptic meningitis recorded.
  5. e) Secondary parkinsonism recorded.
  6. f) any other co morbidity recorded.
  1. Most up to date relevant patient information leaflets/brochures/web pages being provided to the patients about the diagnosis of pineal cyst, treatment pathways, risks disclosure and patients' rights information
  1. Most up to date relevant radiological and treatment pathway guidelines for pineal cysts and differentiation diagnostic pathways and guidelines between pineal cysts and other tumours of pineal gland
  1. Any available information about number of Neurosurgeons trained in operating on pineal area lesions per each Trust

 If your organisational systems do not hold aggregated statistics for the above outcomes, please indicate this in your response and provide any related existing data that may approximate these categories.”

 

Response

Last updated: 09 March 2026