Intracranial germ cell tumor mimicking anorexia nervosa.
We report on a case of a 23 year-old female diagnosed as having a germ-cell tumour located in the sellar region. The patient referred anorexia, psychic disorders, weight loss of 15 kilograms and secondary amenorrhea during the previous three years. This is the reason why the patient was diagnosed as having anorexia nervosa. Subsequently, the patient presented some endocrine dysfunction. MRI revealed the existence of a lesion located in suprasellar and hypothalamic regions. This case shows that the presence of intracranial tumours next to the hypothalamus must be borne in mind as a rare but real possibility in cases of anorexia nervosa, specially in those non-typical cases.
Andreu Martínez
F J
FJ
Radiation Oncology Service, Sant Joan University Hospital, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain. andreu_fra@gva.es
Martínez Mateu
J M
JM
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000473:pathology*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011878:Radiotherapy
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones