The Coexistence of Growth Hormone-Producing Pituitary Adenoma and Rathke Cleft Cyst: How Can We Diagnosis Preoperation?

Pituitary adenoma (PA) rarely coexists with Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC). Previously, only 13 cases of patients with growth hormone (GH)-producing PA and concomitant RCC have been reported. Here, the authors report a 54-year-old female patient with a GH-secreting PA coexisting with an RCC. Acromegaly was diagnosed according to the physical examination and endocrine data. Preoperatively, the coronal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contained 2 different signal intensities, these unusually MRI findings for the intrasellar mass were rarely. According to our clinical experience for diagnosis of PA and RCC, besides GH-producing PA in this case, but the possibility of concomitant RCC should be considered. One-and-a-half nostril endoscopic transsphenoidal approach was performed. Intraoperatively, the adenoma was successfully removed and a large amount of grayish fluid from the cyst was released. The endocrine testing was normal soon after the operation and the patient remained well for a follow-up period of 3 months. The postoperative MRI (obtained 3 months after surgery) showed no intrasellar and suprasellar mass. The authors retrospectively analyzed the all 14 cases of concomitant GH-secreting PAs and RCCs and summarized MRI characteristics. When preoperative MRI contained 2 different signal intensities, one mass lesion showed low or isointense signal on the T1-weighted and T2-weighted images, whereas the other lesion showed low signal on the T1-weighted images and hyperintense on the T2-weighted images, the collision MRI features may be helpful for the preoperative diagnosis of concomitant PAs and RCCs. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Chiyuan Ma, MD, Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China; E-mail: machiyuan_nju@126.com Received 2 May, 2018 Accepted 28 May, 2018 The authors report no conflicts of interest. © 2018 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.

https://ift.tt/2vJ5iWq