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The pituitary gland and infundibulum can be involved in a variety of medical conditions, including infiltrative diseases, fungal infections, tuberculosis, primary and metastatic tumors. Metastases to the pituitary gland are absolutely rare, and they are generally secondary to pulmonary carcinoma in men and breast carcinoma in women. Pituitary metastases more commonly affect the posterior lobe and the infundibulum than the anterior lobe. The posterior lobe involvement may explain why patients with pituitary metastases frequently present with diabetes insipidus. We are presenting a case report of a 48-year-old male patient with sudden onset of polyuria and persistent thirst. Laboratory results revealed central diabetes insipidus. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain showed a mass located in the sella turcica and suprasellar region. CT scan of the chest showed a mass in the right superior lobe with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Bronchoscopy and biopsy demonstrated a pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Thus, we made a diagnosis of lung cancer with local and pituitary metastases. The patient received radiotherapy on the pituitary gland and adjuvant chemotherapy. As a result the intrasellar and suprasellar mass decreased in size and urinary output accordingly decreased. In conclusion, in patients presenting with sudden onset of diabetes insipidus pituitary metastases should be taken in account in differential diagnosis.

Purpose The 22q13.3 deletion syndrome, also known as Phelan–McDermid syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by hypotonia, severely impaired development of speech and language, autistic-like behaviour, and minor dysmorphic features. Neurologic problems may include seizures of different types, such as febrile, generalized tonic–clonic, focal, and absence seizures. No peculiar EEG features have been associated with 22q13 deletion syndrome to date. In order to verify if a peculiar clinical and EEG pattern is present in 22q13.3 deletion syndrome, we studied six Italian patients with this chromosome abnormality. Method Array CGH analysis was carried out in the six subjects (1 male, 5 females, age range 11–30 years, median 19.5). They underwent a complete general and neurologic examinations. The EEG study consisted of at least one awake and one nap–sleep video-EEG recordings and evaluation of other EEGs performed elsewhere. Results Three subjects suffered from myoclonic or generalized tonic–clonic seizures with a rather benign course; all showed multifocal paroxysmal abnormalities on EEG recording, predominant over the frontal–temporal regions, activated during sleep. Conclusion 22q13.3 deletion syndrome seems to be associated, at least in a subgroup of patients, with a peculiar clinical and EEG pattern, characterized by a childhood epilepsy with a rather benign evolution and with multifocal paroxysmal EEG abnormalities activated by sleep.