Tumours of the lateral ventricle in most cases enlarge significantly before signs and symptoms are exhibited. In the years between 1980 and 1991 we encountered 55 patients of all age groups with tumours of the lateral ventricle. All were diagnosed either by CT or MRI, and in lesions with good enhancement on CT additional angiography was performed. All 55 tumours were operated upon using microsurgical techniques. The approach was chosen according to the location of the tumour, preferably transcortical. In selected cases large tumours were removed in a two-stage operation. Only in one frontal horn and Cella media tumour an interhemispheric transcallosal approach was used. Postoperative or surgically related mortality was experienced in 3 cases. Life expectancy and morbidity were dependent upon histology.