An exceptional presentation of pituicytoma apoplexy: A case report

Cossu,Giulia; Dimitriou,Julien; Brouland,Jean‑Philippe; Daniel,Roy  Thomas; Messerer,Mahmoud

doi:10.3892/ol.2018.8625

July-2018 Volume 16 Issue 1

Full Size Image

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Molecular Medicine is an international journal devoted to molecular mechanisms of human disease.

International Journal of Oncology

International Journal of Oncology is an international journal devoted to oncology research and cancer treatment.

Molecular Medicine Reports

Covers molecular medicine topics such as pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neuroscience, infectious diseases, molecular cardiology, and molecular surgery.

Oncology Reports

Oncology Reports is an international journal devoted to fundamental and applied research in Oncology.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine is an international journal devoted to laboratory and clinical medicine.

Oncology Letters

Oncology Letters is an international journal devoted to Experimental and Clinical Oncology.

Biomedical Reports

Explores a wide range of biological and medical fields, including pharmacology, genetics, microbiology, neuroscience, and molecular cardiology.

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

International journal addressing all aspects of oncology research, from tumorigenesis and oncogenes to chemotherapy and metastasis.

World Academy of Sciences Journal

Multidisciplinary open-access journal spanning biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience, environmental health, and synthetic biology.

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

Open-access journal combining biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, and genetics to advance health through functional nutrition.

International Journal of Epigenetics

Publishes open-access research on using epigenetics to advance understanding and treatment of human disease.

Medicine International

An International Open Access Journal Devoted to General Medicine.

July-2018 Volume 16 Issue 1

Full Size Image

Case Report

An exceptional presentation of pituicytoma apoplexy: A case report

Authors:
- Giulia Cossu
- Julien Dimitriou
- Jean‑Philippe Brouland
- Roy Thomas Daniel
- Mahmoud Messerer
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland, Department of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Pages: 643-647
|
Published online on: May 3, 2018

https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.8625
Expand metrics +

Abstract

Pituicytomas are a rare form of indolent neoplasms, which typically present with visual disturbance and hypopituitarism. Complete resection by a trans‑sphenoidal approach is the optimal treatment. Only 80 cases have been described thus far in the current literature and the present case is the first to describe the development of pituitary apoplexy in the context of a pituicytoma. A 77‑year‑old man presented with fatigue and clinical signs of hypogonadism and a sellar lesion was diagnosed at cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A watch‑and‑wait management was initially decided and 1 year after the initial diagnosis, he presented with a thunderclap headache with images suggestive of pituitary apoplexy. A pituitary adenoma was suspected and an endoscopic resection was decided upon the development of a visual deficit. Pathological analysis established the correct diagnosis of a pituicytoma. Pituicytomas are characterised by dense vascularisation, thus ischaemic and haemorrhagic events may be common. When confronted with a hypervascularised pituitary lesion demonstrating strong contrast enhancement and no abnormal hormonal secretion, one must maintain a high index of suspicion for a pituicytoma. A wide range of differential diagnoses should thus be considered in the context of pituitary apoplexy.

View Figures

View References

1	Scothorne CM: A glioma of the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. J Pathol Bacteriol. 69:109–112. 1955. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
2	Wolfe SQ, Bruce J and Morcos JJ: Pituicytoma: Case report. Neurosurgery. 63:E173–E174; discussion E174. 2008. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
3	Yang X, Liu X, Li W and Chen D: Pituicytoma: A report of three cases and literature review. Oncol Lett. 12:3417–3422. 2016. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
4	Benveniste RJ, Purohit D and Byun H: Pituicytoma presenting with spontaneous hemorrhage. Pituitary. 9:53–58. 2006. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
5	Messerer M, De Battista JC, Raverot G, Kassis S, Dubourg J, Lapras V, Trouillas J, Perrin G and Jouanneau E: Evidence of improved surgical outcome following endoscopy for nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma removal. Neurosurg Focus. 30:E112011. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
6	Brat DJ, Scheithauer BW, Fuller GN and Tihan T: Newly codified glial neoplasms of the 2007 WHO classification of tumours of the central nervous system: Angiocentric glioma, pilomyxoid astrocytoma and pituicytoma. Brain Pathol. 17:319–324. 2007. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
7	Mete O and Lopes MB: Overview of the 2017 WHO classification of pituitary tumors. Endocr Pathol. 28:228–243. 2017. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
8	Hurley TR, D'Angelo CM, Clasen RA, Wilkinson SB and Passavoy RD: Magnetic resonance imaging and pathological analysis of a pituicytoma: Case report. Neurosurgery. 35:314–317; discussion 317. 1994. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
9	Law-Ye B, Cholet C and Leclercq D: First depiction of flow voids to differentiate pituicytomas from giant adenomas. World Neurosurg. 109:304–306. 2018. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
10	Figarella-Branger D, Dufour H, Fernandez C, Bouvier-Labit C, Grisoli F and Pellissier JF: Pituicytomas, a mis-diagnosed benign tumor of the neurohypophysis: Report of three cases. Acta Neuropathol. 104:313–319. 2002.PubMed/NCBI
11	Ulm AJ, Yachnis AT, Brat DJ and Rhoton AL Jr: Pituicytoma: Report of two cases and clues regarding histogenesis. Neurosurgery. 54:753–757; discussion 757–758. 2004. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

An exceptional presentation of pituicytoma apoplexy: A case report

This article is mentioned in:

Abstract

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Related Articles