Cystic granular cell tumor mimicking Rathke cleft cyst

J Neurosurg. 2011 Feb;114(2):325-8. doi: 10.3171/2010.5.JNS1058. Epub 2010 May 28.

Abstract

Symptomatic granular cell tumors of the neurohypophysis are a rarely reported entity. To the authors' knowledge, they report the first fully described case of a symptomatic granular cell tumor with a large cystic component. A 31-year-old woman presented with headaches and visual complaints with imaging findings confirming a cystic sellar and suprasellar mass. The lesion was resected, and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis. The literature has shown that granular cell tumors are rarely reported as being symptomatic but may actually be a fairly common finding in autopsy studies. The authors review the literature with a specific focus on radiographic findings in patients with symptomatic granular cell tumors.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Central Nervous System Cysts / pathology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Granular Cell Tumor / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Pituitary Gland, Posterior / pathology*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology*