Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Neuropathology. 2023 Dec;43(6):496-499. doi: 10.1111/neup.12925. Epub 2023 May 30.
Tuberculosis of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis is extremely uncommon. The presentation of panhypopituitarism in a case of sellar tuberculosis is an even rarer occurrence. We present a case of a 44-year-old man who presented with complaints of headache and right-sided diminution of vision for six months. A hormone profile showed abnormal anterior pituitary assay suggestive of panhypopituitarism. Magnetic Resonance imaging of the brain showed a sellar mass measuring 1.8 × 1.5 × 1.3 cm with suprasellar extension suggestive of a pituitary adenoma. Histopathological examination showed multiple epithelioid cell granulomas along with Langhans giant cells and mixed inflammatory infiltrates against a necrotic background. Zeihl Neelson stain demonstrated the presence of acid-fast bacilli. Thus, a final diagnosis of pituitary tuberculoma was made, and the patient started on antitubercular therapy. It is extremely important to correctly diagnose sellar tuberculosis as the treatment is entirely different, and the patient usually responds well to therapy.
下丘脑-垂体轴结核极为罕见。鞍区结核导致全垂体功能减退症的表现更为罕见。我们报告了一例 44 岁男性患者,因头痛和右侧视力减退 6 个月就诊。激素检测显示前垂体功能异常,提示全垂体功能减退症。脑部磁共振成像显示鞍内肿块大小为 1.8×1.5×1.3cm,伴向鞍上延伸,提示垂体腺瘤。组织病理学检查显示,坏死背景下存在多个上皮样细胞肉芽肿,伴有朗格汉斯巨细胞和混合性炎症浸润。Ziehl-Neelsen 染色显示存在抗酸杆菌。因此,最终诊断为垂体结核瘤,患者开始接受抗结核治疗。正确诊断鞍区结核非常重要,因为治疗方法完全不同,患者通常对治疗反应良好。