Rathke's cleft cysts(RCCs) are classically described as benign epithelium-lined intrasellar cysts containing mucoid material. They are thought to orignate from remamants of the Rathke's pouch. These cysts are most frequently small and asymptomatic, and generally regarded as rare lesions. With the introduction of modern neuroimaging technology, they are being diagnosed much more frequently. We reviewed clinical, radiographic, and pathological findings in nine patients with symptomatic RCCs who were treated at out hospital from June 1989 to October 1994. The lesions were more often encountered in female than male patients, and the mean age at presentation was 25 years. The most common symptom and sign were headache, visual disturbance, and pituitary dysfunction. Two cysts were entirely intrasellar and seven had intra- and suprasellar components. Pre-enhanced CT scans revealed low dense or isodense lesions in five cases, and contrast-enhanced CT scans showed ring enhancement in two of five cases. MRI findings were varied with no characteristic pattern. Six patients underwent surgery by the transsphenoidal approach, and another three patients were treated by the transcranial approach. Partial excision and drainage of the cysts was most commonly performed, and there was no cyst recurrence. The cyst lining was usually composed of couboidal or columnar epithelium. Most symptoms and signs improved or resolved following surgery with the exception of hypopituitarism. Because of the relative safety and low recurrence rate, we think that partial excision and drainage of the cyst by the transsphenoidal approache is the treatment of choice.
Central Nervous System Cysts* ; Drainage ; Epithelium ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypopituitarism ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neuroimaging ; Recurrence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed