Spontaneous reduction of a recurrent craniopharyngioma in an 8-year-old female patient: case report.
OBJECTIVE
The spontaneous rupture of a craniopharyngioma is an extremely rare condition confined to adults. This is the first report of a patient younger than 10 years who experienced spontaneous reduction (possibly rupture) of a craniopharyngioma.


METHODS
An 8-year-old female patient with a recurrence of a craniopharyngioma experienced fever, headache, and visual disturbance that lasted a few days. Concurrent with the improvement of these symptoms, marked reduction in the size of the tumor was revealed using magnetic resonance imaging, suggesting the occurrence of a rupture.


METHODS
Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of the hypothalamic-pituitary region was performed while the patient received growth hormone therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no increase in the size of the tumor 1 year after the reduction occurred. Prompt evaluation of the hypothalamic-pituitary region using magnetic resonance imaging is warranted to rule out the possibility of spontaneous reduction (including rupture) of the tumor in a situation in which the patient with a craniopharyngioma shows meningeal signs or a rapid change of neurological symptoms (such as headache, fever, or visual disturbance).
Shinohara
O
O
Department of Pediatrics, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Shinagawa
T
T
Kubota
C
C
Oi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous
D019382:Human Growth Hormone