Background: Pituicytomas are considered World Health Organization Grade I malignancies. Until September 2017, a total of 81 cases of pituicytomas were diagnosed and described in literature. We present such a case in which histopathology shows an epithelioid pattern, a rare variant of pituicytoma. As far as we know, this is only the second such case described in the literature.
Case description: A 61-year-old male patient presented with complaints of progressive decrease in visual acuity for about 7 months, worse on the left side. Laboratory and endocrinological investigation returned normal values. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mixed solid-cystic lesion, measuring about 3.1 × 2.2 × 2.9 cm. The lesion presented with intermediate signal intensity in T1 and T2 sequences and showed avid postcontrast enhancement. The patient underwent resection through a left pterional approach. Pathology revealed a glial neoplasm with an epithelioid pattern and moderate cellularity with rounded-elongated cell nuclei and with a broad eosinophilic cytoplasm. Absence of cellular pleomorphism, any mitotic figures, or areas of necrosis was noted.
Conclusion: The epithelioid variant of pituicytomas differs from the commonly encountered forms of this tumor which typically present in a fascicular pattern. Microsurgical resection is the treatment of choice. However, in many cases, subtotal resection was performed because of a considerable risk for neurovascular injuries.
Keywords: Brain neoplasm; pathology; pituicytoma treatment.