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Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Sella Mimicking Pituitary Adenoma: An Uncommon Tumor in a Rare Location—A Case Report

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Abstract

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is rarely located in the central nervous system, and sella turcica involvement was reported in only two patients. We report the case of a 28-year-old man with a SFT of the sella turcica mimicking a pituitary nonfunctioning macroadenoma. He presented with optic nerve compression caused by a heterogeneous tumor located in the sellar and suprasellar area. At surgery, the tumor was hard and infiltrated the sellar diaphragm, so that resection resulted in a cerebrospinal fluid fistula. His postoperative course was also complicated by complete central diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism, and two episodes of meningitis. After surgical resection, the diagnosis of SFT was reached on the basis of histological and immunohistochemical studies. He was discharged after 49 days. Ten months after surgery, he was clinically well, and magnetic resonance images showed no evidence of residual or recurrent tumor. SFT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sellar and parasellar tumors.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to all the medical personnel that contributed to the patient care, especially Drs. Maritza Cantarelli and Jose Henrique Muller.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Internal Medicine Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Tania Weber Furlanetto

  2. Center for Diagnosis, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Cláudio Faria Pitta Pinheiro

  3. Neurology Division, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Paulo Petry Oppitz & Luiz Carlos de Alencastro

  4. Department of Pathology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Sylvia L. Asa

  5. Internal Medicine Division, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Rua Ramiro Barcellos, 2350/700, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Tania Weber Furlanetto

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  1. Tania Weber Furlanetto
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Correspondence to Tania Weber Furlanetto.

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Furlanetto, T.W., Pinheiro, C.F.P., Oppitz, P.P. et al. Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Sella Mimicking Pituitary Adenoma: An Uncommon Tumor in a Rare Location—A Case Report. Endocr Pathol 20, 56–61 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-009-9063-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-009-9063-5

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