# A bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited articles on pineal parenchymal tumors worldwide

## TL;DR

This study analyzed the 100 most cited papers on rare pineal tumors to identify research trends and highlight gaps in clinical and surgical research.

## Contribution

This is the first bibliometric analysis focused specifically on pineal parenchymal tumors, revealing research trends and gaps.

## Key findings

- Histopathology was the most studied category in the top-cited articles.
- Most articles were published between 2000 and 2010, primarily from the United States.
- Significant gaps exist in clinical studies, surgical management, and patient outcomes research.

## Abstract

Pineal parenchymal tumors are rare central nervous system neoplasms, accounting for less than 1 % of all CNS tumors. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited articles on pineal parenchymal tumors to identify research trends and highlight influential contributions. Tumor types analyzed included pineocytoma, pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation (PPTID), pineoblastoma, and papillary tumor of the pineal region (PTPR), along with the recently classified desmoplastic myxoid tumor, SMARCB1-mutant. To our knowledge, this is the first bibliometric analysis dedicated to pineal parenchymal tumors.

Articles were identified through the Web of Science database without time restriction, screened by title, keyword, and abstract. Tumor categorization followed the WHO 5th edition for CNS tumors. Articles discussing non-parenchymal pineal region tumors were excluded. Citation count determined article selection. Data collected included publication year, authorship, journal source, study category, pathology focus, and article type. Data collection and analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.

A total of 573 articles were retrieved; the top 100 were analyzed, totaling 3845 citations. These articles were published in 42 journals from 16 countries and 74 institutions. The oldest article was published in 1970 and the most recent in 2021. Acta Neuropathologica contributed the most publications (14). The United States accounted for the highest number of articles (34) and citations (1,326). Histopathology was the most studied category (36 %), and case reports and series were the predominant article types. The papillary tumor of the pineal region was the most frequently discussed pathology.

This bibliometric analysis reveals a dominance of histopathological studies and reveals critical gaps in clinical studies, surgical management, and patient outcomes. Targeted future research in these areas is needed to improve diagnosis, management, and patient care.

•A bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited articles on pineal parenchymal tumors.•Histopathology was the predominant research focus among the top-cited articles.•Most articles were published between 2000 and 2010, mainly from the United States.•Significant gaps were identified in clinical studies, surgical management, and outcomes.•Future research should focus on treatment strategies and clinical outcome reporting.

A bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited articles on pineal parenchymal tumors.

Histopathology was the predominant research focus among the top-cited articles.

Most articles were published between 2000 and 2010, mainly from the United States.

Significant gaps were identified in clinical studies, surgical management, and outcomes.

Future research should focus on treatment strategies and clinical outcome reporting.