Extraventricular Neurocytoma of the Sellar Region Presenting With Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuresis.

Neurocytomas are neuronal tumors that are usually intraventricular. Rare cases can arise from extraventricular sites. To our knowledge, only 29 cases of extraventricular neurocytoma of the sellar region (EVNSR) have been reported in the literature. We describe a case of a 39-year-old woman who presented with a one-month history of refractory headache, nausea and vomiting. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 5.1 × 3.1 × 2.2 cm sellar and suprasellar mass, suggestive of a pituitary adenoma (PA). She had hyponatremia, obstructive hydrocephalus, and panhypopituitarism at presentation (hypogonadism, adrenal insufficiency). After glucocorticoid replacement therapy and ventriculoperitoneal shunt, the vomiting and headache resolved, but she remained with nausea and hyponatremia. She was submitted to surgery, and histopathological analysis revealed a neurocytoma with positive immunostaining for arginine vasopressin. Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) was diagnosed but did not resolve after surgery due to residual tumor, despite fluid restriction and saline replacement. SIAD later resolved with empagliflozin. In conclusion, EVNSR is extremely rare and can be misdiagnosed as PA on MRI. In the context of SIAD and extraventricular neurocytoma, a secreting arginine vasopressin tumor must be considered. SIAD can be challenging to treat, with excision of the EVNSR the treatment choice and, alternatively, empagliflozin associated with fluid restriction.

Strikingly low prevalence of pituitary incidentalomas in a teaching hospital in Uruguay.

Background: Pituitary incidentalomas are an occurrence documented in 10.6% of post-mortem examinations, 4%-20% of computed tomography (CT) scans, and 10%-38% of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cases, primarily consisting of microincidentalomas (<1 cm in size). However, the prevalence of pituitary incidentalomas in Uruguay remains unexplored. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of pituitary incidentalomas at our hospital. Methods: In this investigation, we retrospectively identified patients who underwent brain CT and MRI at our hospital over a 1-year span due to conditions other than suspected or known pituitary disorders. The time frame covered was from 1 January to 31 December 2017. Our analysis encompassed all scans, and we conducted interviews with patients discovered to have pituitary incidentalomas. Furthermore, we conducted biochemical assessments in accordance with clinical and imaging traits. Results: During the study period, a total of 3,894 patients underwent imaging procedures. Of these, 1,146 patients underwent MRI scans, and 2,748 underwent CT scans. The mean age was 53.1 ± 19 years, with a relatively even distribution between genders (50.6% women). The majority of imaging requisitions originated from the emergency department (43%), followed by outpatient clinics (29%), and inpatient wards (28%). Common reasons for imaging requests included trauma (20.4%), headaches (11.3%), and stroke (10.9%). Among these cases, two pituitary incidentalomas were detected, resulting in a prevalence of 5 cases per 10,000 individuals annually (0.051%). Both of these cases were initially identified through CT scans, with subsequent MRI scans performed for further assessment. The final diagnoses were a vascular aneurysm and a sellar meningioma, with the latter patient also exhibiting secondary hypothyroidism. Notably, no instances of pituitary adenomas were encountered. Conclusions: The prevalence of pituitary incidentalomas within our hospital was notably low. Further research is necessary to more comprehensively investigate the occurrence of pituitary incidentalomas in our country.

Masa selar, no siempre un adenoma: presentación de 3 casos clínicos / A sellar mass, not always an adenoma: A report of 3 cases

El absceso hipofisario es un proceso infeccioso dentro de la silla turca, infrecuente, grave y de difícil diagnóstico debido a sintomatología variada e inespecífica. Presentamos 3 casos clínicos de abscesos hipofisarios, teniendo en común la presencia de lesiones preexistentes. Todos fueron intervenidos quirúrgicamente, 2 pacientes resultaron ser abscesos asépticos y en un paciente se aisló Aspergillus capsulatum. Presentaron buena evolución con el tratamiento médico pero con secuelas de hipopituitarismo. Es muy importante tener en cuenta el absceso hipofisario entre los diagnósticos diferenciales de las masas que se localicen en esa región debido a que el diagnóstico oportuno y el tratamiento correcto son relevantes para el pronóstico de estos pacientes.

Pituitary abscess is due to a severe and uncommon infection in the sella. It is difficult to diagnose due to varied and non-specific symptoms. A report is presented of 3 cases of pituitary abscess, which had the presence of pre-existing injuries in common. All were subjected to surgery, with aseptic abscesses found in 2 patients, and Aspergillus capsulatum was isolated in 1 patient. They showed good progress with medical treatment, but with sequelae of hypopituitarism. It is very important to consider the pituitary abscess in the differential diagnosis of the masses that are located in that region, as a timely diagnosis and proper treatment can be important for the prognosis of these patients.

A review on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma by the Neuroendocrinology Department of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism

ABSTRACT Clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) are the most common pituitary tumors after prolactinomas. The absence of clinical symptoms of hormonal hypersecretion can contribute to the late diagnosis of the disease. Thus, the majority of patients seek medical attention for signs and symptoms resulting from mass effect, such as neuro-ophthalmologic symptoms and hypopituitarism. Other presentations include pituitary apoplexy or an incidental finding on imaging studies. Mass effect and hypopituitarism impose high morbidity and mortality. However, early diagnosis and effective treatment minimizes morbidity and mortality. In this publication, the goal of the Neuroendocrinology Department of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism is to provide a review of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with NFPA, emphasizing that the treatment should be performed in reference centers. This review is based on data published in the literature and the authors’ experience. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2016;60(4):374-90.