A rare pituitary lesion

The majority of the sellar masses are pituitary adenomas. Non-adenomatous h ypophyseal lesions are rare and include lymphocytic hypophysitis, idiopathi c giant cell hypophysitis and granulomatous hypophysitis. The latter includ e lesions caused by conditions like tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, syphilis, hi stiocytosis X and mycotic infections. We report a case of a Sudanese woman who presented with a pituitary mass (presumed preoperatively to be an adeno ma) and underwent trans-sphenoidal surgery. The final histopathology showed tuberculous hypophysitis. The patient did not have history of prior exposu re to tuberculosis nor any evidence of infection elsewhere in the body. We also briefly review the literature on pituitary tuberculomas. (J. Endocrino l. Invest. 23: 189-192, 2000) (C) 2000. Editrice Kurtis.