Horiuchi T, Tanaka Y, Kobayashi S, Yokoh A, Unoki T
Department of Neurosurgery, Suwa Red Cross Hospital, Nagano, Japan.
Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). 1996 Oct;36(10):729-32. doi: 10.2176/nmc.36.729.
A 42-year-old male presented with a prolactin-producing pituitary adenoma with an atypical radiological appearance. The tumor was incidentally found by magnetic resonance imaging, which demonstrated a cystic tumor in the enlarged and partially empty sella turcica. Computed tomography revealed the tumor was surrounded by calcification with an egg-shell appearance. The serum prolactin level was 37 ng/ml. The operative finding was a calcified shell-containing cystic tumor. Immunohistochemical staining revealed prolactin-positive cells. The combination of the unusual calcification, and enlarged and partially empty sella was considered to be a sequela of spontaneous degeneration of the tumor.
