Brain Tumor Res Treat.  2021 Oct;9(2):70-74. 10.14791/btrt.2021.9.e11.

A Rare Case of Pituicytoma Presenting Cystic Formation

• Ha YS
• Lee SE
• Park SC
• Ahn SY
• Jung YY

• KMID: 2522222
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14791/btrt.2021.9.e11

Abstract

Pituicytoma is a rare solid benign tumor of the sellar and/or suprasellar region originating from the pituicytes of the neurohypophysis or infundibulum, which is not differentiated from a pituitary adenoma that is diagnosed mostly in the sellar and/or suprasellar region. In addition, cystic tumors are very rare and have not been reported due to their solid and hypervascular natures. A 33-year-old man presented with a chronic headache which exacerbated recently. MRI was performed and revealed a cystic tumor in the sellar and suprasellar regions with a small parenchymal island in the cyst compressing the optic chiasm. The endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach was used to remove the tumor. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for thyroid transcription factor 1, S-100 protein, and glial fibrillary acidic protein. The pituicytoma was diagnosed based on histologic findings. The authors review herein the literature on clinical presentation, diagnosis, surgical management, and outcome.

Keyword

Brain neoplasm; Cyst; Immunohistochemistry

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Radiologic features of pituicytoma. A-C: Sellar MRI T1-weighted image shows isointense cyst wall with some parenchyma in depending position (A, sagittal view) and slightly hyperintense cyst content (B, axial view), with moderate hyperintensity of cyst wall at contrast image (C, sagittal). D: Postoperative precontrast CT scan in sagittal view.

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  Fig. 2 Tissue morphology of pituicytoma. A: Tumor cells are arranged in sheets and fascicles. The tumor cells are spindled to epithelioid with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm (hematoxylin and eosin, ×100). B-D: Immunohistochemistry of tumors. B: The cells shows diffuse, strong nuclear positivity for thyroid transcription factor 1 (×40). C: The tumor cells are S-100 positive (×40). D: Tumor cells shows positivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein (×40).

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