Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2012 Jan;55(1):51-54. 10.5468/KJOG.2012.55.1.51.

A case of Rathke's cleft cyst presenting with amenorrhea

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea. yeegen@cha.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.

Abstract

A 28-year-old female presented with Rathke's cleft cysts (RCC) manifesting as primary amenorrhea and no development of secondary sexual characteristics. She had no symptoms of headache, visual disturbance, anosmia or galactorrhea.. The endocrinologic study demonstrated partial hypopituitarism. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed about 1.5 cm sized sellar and suprasellar cystic tumor, extending into the pituitary stalk. Its tentative diagnosis was benign pituitary cystic tumor, such as RCC. She underwent surgery by a transsphenoidal approach. Histological examination revealed a ciliated columnar epithelium those consistent with RCC. RCC is rarely symptomatic, but mechanical compression by the cyst or inflammation itself causes headache, visual field defects, or symptoms of pituitary dysfunction. The present case shows that RCC may manifest as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Keyword

Rathke's cleft cysts; Amenorrhea; Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

MeSH Terms

Adult
Amenorrhea
Central Nervous System Cysts
Epithelium
Female
Galactorrhea
Headache
Humans
Hypogonadism
Hypopituitarism
Inflammation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Olfaction Disorders
Pituitary Gland
Pregnancy
Visual Fields

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Coronal (A) and transverse (B) T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging demonstrating sellar and suprasellar cystic tumor extending into stalk.

  • Fig. 2 Photomicrographs showing the cyst wall lined by ciliated columnar cells (H&E, ×200).


Reference

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