title: Ependymoma of the pituitary fossa. Case report and review of the literature.
abstract: The authors describe a case of pituitary fossa ependymoma and discuss its immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characteristics. A 43-year-old man presented with decreased libido and panhypopituitarism. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a well-demarcated enhancing lesion of the pituitary fossa that was completely resected via a transsphenoidal approach. Ependymomas rarely occur in the pituitary fossa, and have been reported in this location only three times in humans and once in a horse. This is the first study in which investigators examined the appearance of a pituitary ependymoma by using electron microscopy. Theories of the origin and treatment of these rare tumors are discussed as they relate to other articles on intracranial ependymomas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto and Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. kmukhida@dal.ca
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mukhida
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asa
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gentili
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shannon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000473:pathology; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009898:Optic Disk; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor