Ectopic prolactinoma in the clivus.
BACKGROUND
Ectopic pituitary adenomas are rare. Only 29 cases are reported in the literature. The clivus was involved in some cases but sella turcica was occasionally involved.


METHODS
Headache was the first symptom of a 47-year-old woman. Radiological examination diagnosed a clivus tumour. No connection with the pituitary gland was observed. Pre-operative diagnosis was metastasis of an unknown cancer.


METHODS
By a transphenoidal approach, we removed a haemorrhagic tumour. No connection between the normal pituitary gland and the tumour was observed. Neuropathological analysis showed a prolactinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
We report a rare case of an ectopic prolactinoma in the clivus unrelated to the pituitary gland. Only one other case has been reported in the literature.
De Witte
O
O
Department of Neurosurgery, Hôpital Erasme-ULB, Brussels, Belgium.
Massager
N
N
Salmon
I
I
Meyer
S
S
Dooms
G
G
Brotchi
J
J
D002828:Choristoma / Q000601:surgery*; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*