Pituitary macroadenoma presenting as a nasal tumor: case report / Macroadenoma hipofisário, apresentando-se como um tumor nasal: relato de caso

CONTEXT: Pituitary macroadenomas are rare intracranial tumors. In a few cases, they may present aggressive behavior and invade the sphenoid sinus and nasal cavity, causing unusual symptoms. In this paper, we report an atypical case of pituitary adenoma presenting as a nasal mass. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 44-year-old woman who had had amenorrhea and galactorrhea for ten months, with associated nasal obstruction, macroglossia and acromegaly. Both growth hormone and prolactin levels were increased. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large mass originating from the lower surface of the pituitary gland, associated with sella turcica erosion and tumor extension through the sphenoid sinus and nasal cavity. Histopathological analysis demonstrated a chromophobe pituitary adenoma with densely packed rounded epithelial cells, with some atypias and rare mitotic figures. There was no evidence of metastases. CONCLUSION: Macroadenoma invading the nasal cavity is a rare condition and few similar cases have been reported in the literature. This study contributes towards showing that tumor extension to the sphenoid sinus and nasopharynx needs to be considered and investigated in order to make an early diagnosis when atypical symptoms like nasal obstruction are present. .

CONTEXTO: Macroadenomas hipofisários são tumores intracraniais raros. Em alguns casos, podem apresentar comportamento agressivo e invadir o seio esfenoidal e a cavidade nasal, causando sintomas não usuais. Neste relato de caso, descrevemos um caso atípico de adenoma hipofisário manifestando-se como uma massa nasal. RELATO DE CASO: A paciente de 44 anos, do sexo feminino, apresentava amenorreia e galactorreia por 10 meses associando-se a obstrução nasal, macroglossia e acromegalia. Os níveis do hormônio de crescimento e de prolactina apresentaram-se aumentados. Ressonância magnética mostrou uma grande massa originada da superfície inferior da glândula hipofisária associada com erosão da sela túrcica e extensão do tumor através do seio esfenoidal e cavidade nasal. Análise histopatológica demonstrou adenoma hipofisário cromófobo com células epiteliais arrendondadas densamente agrupadas com algumas atipias e escassas figuras de mitose. Não houve evidências de metástase. CONCLUSÃO: O macroadenoma invasivo para a cavidade nasal é uma condição rara e há poucos relatos similares descritos na literatura. Este trabalho contribui para mostrar que, na presença de sintomas atípicos como a obstrução nasal, a extensão para o seio esfenoidal e para a nasofaringe deve ser considerada e investigada para um diagnóstico precoce. .

Pituitary macroadenoma presenting as a nasal tumor: case report.

CONTEXT: Pituitary macroadenomas are rare intracranial tumors. In a few cases, they may present aggressive behavior and invade the sphenoid sinus and nasal cavity, causing unusual symptoms. In this paper, we report an atypical case of pituitary adenoma presenting as a nasal mass. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 44-year-old woman who had had amenorrhea and galactorrhea for ten months, with associated nasal obstruction, macroglossia and acromegaly. Both growth hormone and prolactin levels were increased. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large mass originating from the lower surface of the pituitary gland, associated with sella turcica erosion and tumor extension through the sphenoid sinus and nasal cavity. Histopathological analysis demonstrated a chromophobe pituitary adenoma with densely packed rounded epithelial cells, with some atypias and rare mitotic figures. There was no evidence of metastases. CONCLUSION: Macroadenoma invading the nasal cavity is a rare condition and few similar cases have been reported in the literature. This study contributes towards showing that tumor extension to the sphenoid sinus and nasopharynx needs to be considered and investigated in order to make an early diagnosis when atypical symptoms like nasal obstruction are present.

Neuroparacoccidioidomycosis (NPCM): magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns of the central nervous system (CNS) involvement by neuroparacoccidioidomycosis (NPCM). METHODS: Between January 1999 and March 2011, a review of MRI data analysis from 8 cases of NPCM was performed. The following MRI characteristics were examined by an experienced neuroradiologist: topography of lesions, aspects on T1- and T2-weighted images (WI), contrast enhancement, diffusion and spectroscopy. RESULTS: All patients had evidence of paracoccidioidomycosis infection outside the nervous system. Regarding CNS involvement, five patients had only supratentorial lesions; three had infra- and supratentorial ones. Meningeal extension occurred in three patients. The lesions were predominantly hyperintense on T1WI. At T2WI, a hypointense component was present in five cases as well as a perilesional abnormal white matter. A ring-enhancement pattern was seen in five cases. Spectroscopy was performed in three patients and showed an increased lipid peak in all of them. In one case, there was also an increased choline peak. CONCLUSION: NPCM is rare, and MRI may help its differentiation from other inflammatory lesions. However, the presence of active infection outside CNS and some imaging characteristics should point to this diagnosis.

Tumores ósseos primários da coluna vertebral: ensaio iconográfico / Primary bone tumors of the spine: iconographic essay

Bem mais raros que as condições neoplásicas metastáticas ou linfoproliferativas da coluna, os tumores vertebrais primários devem ser sempre suspeitados quando uma lesão vertebral solitária for identificada. 0 diagnóstico diferencial, no entanto, depende do conhecimento do modo de apre-sentação de cada tumor nas diversas modalidades de exames de imagem. Os principais achados radiológicos deste grupo de enfermidades são descritos sob a forma de um ensaio iconográfico baseado em casos clínico-radiológicos.