Pineal germinoma presenting as anorexia nervosa: Case report and review of the literature.
OBJECTIVE
Tumors of the hypothalamic-pineal region may present with a wide variety of symptoms, including disturbed eating. We present a case where such a tumor was misdiagnosed as anorexia nervosa.


METHODS
We describe a case of pineal germinoma invading the hypothalamus, which was initially diagnosed as anorexia nervosa.


RESULTS
Clinical features included weight loss, vomiting, pyrexia, hypernatraemia, and visual disturbance and the typical psychopathology of anorexia nervosa was absent.


CONCLUSIONS
Organic disorder should always be considered before making a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, particularly if the presentation is atypical.
Winston
Anthony P
AP
Eating Disorders Unit, Woodleigh Beeches Centre, Warwick Hospital, Warwick, United Kingdom. Anthony.Winston@SWarkPCT.nhs.uk
Barnard
Dan
D
D'Souza
Geraldine
G
Shad
Amjad
A
Sherlala
Khaled
K
Sidhu
Jyoti
J
Singh
Suraj Pal
SP
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D018237:Germinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010871:Pinealoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy