A case of lymphocytic hypophysitis associated with Rathke's cleft cyst.
- Author:
Yong Il KIM
1
;
Jae Seok JEON
;
Young Jee KIM
;
Sang Won PARK
;
Young Hye BYUN
;
Jong Yong LEE
;
Hee In KANG
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jjs1120@eulji.or.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Lymphocytic hypophysitis;
Rathke's cleft cyst
- MeSH:
Autoimmunity;
Autopsy;
Central Nervous System Cysts;
Epithelium;
Female;
Headache;
Humans;
Korea;
Optic Chiasm;
Peripartum Period;
Pituitary Gland;
Pituitary Neoplasms;
Vision Disorders
- From:Korean Journal of Medicine
2005;69(5):565-570
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Lymphocytic hypophysitis is a rare disorder characterized by focal or diffuse inflammatory infiltration and destruction of the pituitary gland. It has classically been described as affecting female patients during peripartum period and its pathogenesis has been attributed with autoimmunity. Pressure symptoms and visual impairment may arise from the sellar mass lesion, and mass effect, involvement of the pituitary stalk, and pituitary destruction may result in endocrine dysfunction. Rathke's cleft cyst is a cystic sellar or suprasellar lesion thought to originate from the remnants of Rathke's pouch. It is characteristically lined by a single layer of ciliated cuboidal or columnar epithelium. Although small asymptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts have been reported at autopsy in 2~26% of normal pituitary glands, symptomatic cysts are rare. In symptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts, the common presentations include headache, pituitary dysfunction, and visual loss caused by compression of the optic chiasm in the event of suprasellar extension. Recently we experienced a case of lymphocytic hypophysitis with Rathke's cleft cyst resected by transsphenoidal approach under the preoperative impression of pituitary adenoma. This coexistence is exceedingly rare event, and to our best knowledge, this may be the first case of lymphocytic hypophysitis with Rathke's cleft cyst in Korea.
