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Granulomatous hypophysitis is an extremely rare condition, with no established definitive treatment. An elderly Asian woman was diagnosed to have recurrent granulomatous hypophysitis 5 years after transsphenoidal surgery. No other intervention was done post-operatively. Since another surgery was not advisable due to the high probability of recurrence, she was started on a trial of oral glucocorticoids. After 3 months of steroid therapy, complete resolution of symptoms and sellar mass were achieved.

Background: Hypophysitis is primary or idiopathic or secondary to another disease process. The histologic subtypes of hypophysitis are lymphocytic, granulomatous, xanthomatous, xanthogranulomatous, or IgG4-related. Granulomatous hypophysitis is the second most common form and is characterized by multinucleated giant cells with granulomas and histiocytes. It can be idiopathic or secondary to another process such as infection, sarcoidosis, vasculitis, dendritic cell disorders, Crohn's disease (CD) or a reaction to rupture of a Rathke's cyst or pituitary adenoma. We present a case of granulomatous hypophysitis in a patient with CD who had resistance to corticosteroids but a dramatic response to immunosuppressive therapy with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α therapy. Case description: A 43-year-old woman with a 9-year history of ileal and colonic CD presented to the Pituitary Center with headaches, visual disturbance, fatigue, nausea, and secondary amenorrhea. She was not on active therapy for her CD at the time of presentation and had no gastrointestinal symptoms. Hormonal evaluation revealed hyperprolactinemia, secondary hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency. MRI revealed a 12 × 12 × 19 mm sellar lesion abutting the optic chiasm, reported as a macroadenoma. The patient underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal biopsy of the pituitary mass. Pathology revealed granulomatous hypophysitis. Evaluation for secondary causes of hypophysitis, apart from CD, was negative. Despite a course of high dose prednisone, her symptoms and MRI findings worsened and she developed symptoms consistent with diabetes insipidus. Using a personalized medicine approach, she was started on anti-(TNF)-α therapy with infliximab combined with azathioprine, which are indicated for treatment of CD. Her headaches and polyuria resolved and her menstrual cycles resumed. MRI at 3 months and more than 1.5 years after initiation of anti-TNF-α therapy revealed durable resolution of the pituitary mass. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of successful use of anti-TNF-α therapy for a patient with granulomatous hypophysitis, in this case associated with a previous diagnosis of CD. Although glucocorticoids are used frequently as first-line therapy for primary hypophysitis, granulomatous hypophysitis can be corticosteroid resistant and other immunosuppressive approaches may need to be considered within the context of the patient.

Hypophysitis (HP) is a rare acute or chronic inflammatory condition of the pituitary gland. The greatest challenge in the management of HP is establishing a diagnosis through clinical criteria and non-invasive methods and predicting the patients’ clinical outcome. The aim of this review is to describe the neuroradiological findings of this rare disease, providing some information regarding the possible differential diagnosis in order to avoid unnecessary surgery. Gadolinium-enhanced pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the neuroradiological investigation of choice. The features suggestive for HP include an enlarged triangular- or dumbbell-shaped gland with a thickened and not obviously deviated stalk, further supported by the absence of posterior pituitary bright spot on T1weighted images, particularly in patients presenting with diabetes insipidus. Contrast enhancement pattern is quite variable; dural enhancement has been reported in some cases after intravenous contrast administration. The characterization of the unusual sellar mass is not straightforward and generally results in a wide differential. HP should be primarily differentiated from pituitary adenomas (including pituitary apoplexy), from pituitary metastases, and from other sellar and parasellar tumors, e.g., craniopharyngiomas, germinomas, gliomas, lymphomas, meningiomas, pituicytomas, chordomas, teratomas, dermoids and epidermoids, Rathke’s cleft cysts, and abscesses. In patients suspected for secondary forms related to systemic pathology, additional imaging is helpful in identifying other involved sites. Neuroradiologists need to know MRI appearance of this rare disease, as well as its typical symptoms and serological markers. A strict collaboration with endocrinologists and neurosurgeons is mandatory in order to reach a definitive diagnosis, allowing to promptly initiating an appropriate treatment.

Hypophysitis of the pituitary gland is a rare inflammatory disorder and broadly classified as primary and secondary hypophysitis. Primary hypophysitis is mainly of lymphocytic, granulomatous, and xanthomatous types. Among the various primary hypophysitis, granulomatous hypophysitis is rare type with an incidence of 1 in 10 million. The various forms of hypophysitis are misdiagnosed as pituitary adenoma in 40% cases. Idiopathic granulomatous hypophysitis is even rarer inflammatory disorder accounting for

Key Clinical Message Granulomatous hypophysitis is rare pathology that mimics pituitary adenoma. Diagnosis is only confirmed by histopathology examination. Trans‐sphenoidal surgery is considered diagnostic when descent tissue specimen is obtained and therapeutic by decompressing optic pathway and the sella. Pathological findings always reveal granulomatous areas, multinucleated giant cells, plasma cells, and lymphocytes.

We report a case of granulomatous hypophysitis caused by Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC) mimicking a growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary adenoma. Neuroradiological and endocrinological evaluations showed abnormal findings consistent with acromegaly: Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a pituitary mass lesion, and GH and insulin-like growth factor I levels were markedly elevated, and GH levels were not suppressed in oral glucose tolerance test. Transsphenoidal surgery was performed, but no adenomatous tissue could be detected. Histological examination revealed RCC and concurrent granulomatous giant cell inflammatory reaction of the anterior hypophysis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first documented case of granulomatous hypophysitis caused by RCC mimicking a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma.

Background: Although glucocorticoids have been adopted as the main stay treatment for granulomatous hypophysitis, refractory cases have been treated by infliximab with success in multiple reported case.[1,2,3] Given the low prevalence, incidence of granulomatous hypophysitis[4] and the advent of biologics, evidence of rituximab’s efficacy are largely based on a handful of case reports[1,2,3] and needs more evidence to label its utility. We describe a case of recurrent primary granulomatous hypophysitis in a 48-year-old female who had significant treatment challenge until there was good response after initiation of rituximab. Clinical Case: Patient was a known case of granulomatous hypophysitis and had undergone total hypophysectomy. Despite this approximately a year after her surgery she had become symptomatic and had MRI changes. She was started on a succession of immunosuppressive agents and high dose steroids to control recurrent symptoms. Due to treatment failure and very high steroid dose, patient was eventually started on Rituximab and patient had significant improvement of her symptoms as well as resolution of the MRI changes. Conclusion: Although there is a lack of prospective, double blind and controlled studies this case study highlights the utility of Rituximab as a potent alternative treatment for refractory given the adverse effect associated with the steroids and other immunosuppressive agents. Reference statement: 1. Schreckinger M, Francis T, Rajah G, Jagannathan J, Guthikonda M, Mittal S. Novel strategy to treat a case of recurrent lymphocytic hypophysitis using rituximab. J Neurosurg. 2012 Jun;116(6):1318-23. doi: 10.3171/2012.2.JNS111456. Epub 2012 Mar 23. PMID: 22443503. 2. Xu C, Ricciuti A, Caturegli P, Keene CD, Kargi AY. Autoimmune lymphocytic hypophysitis in association with autoimmune eye disease and sequential treatment with infliximab and rituximab. Pituitary. 2015 Aug;18(4):441-7. doi: 10.1007/s11102-014-0592-7. PMID: 25224140. 3. Gu WJ, Zhang Q, Zhu J, Li J, Wei SH, Mu YM. Rituximab was used to treat recurrent IgG4-related hypophysitis with ophthalmopathy as the initial presentation: A case report and literature review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017 Jun;96(24):e6934. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000006934. PMID: 28614220; PMCID: PMC5478305. 4. Angelousi A, Alexandraki K, Tsoli M, Kaltsas G, Kassi E. Hypophysitis (Including IgG4 and Immunotherapy). Neuroendocrinology. 2020;110(9-10):822-835. doi: 10.1159/000506903. Epub 2020 Mar 4. PMID: 32126548

Objectives. Hypophysitis is a heterogeneous inflammatory disease of pituitary gland. As it causes headache and visual defects, it mimics sellar tumors in clinical and radiological aspects. It may occur due to primary or secondary causes. Tuberculosis is one of the rare secondary causes of the hypophysitis. Subject and Results. A 30-year-old male patient presented with fatigue and headache. Panhypopituitarism was considered due to the results and the diagnostic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed sagittal section diamater of pituitary gland higher than normal. Biopsy of the pituitary gland was concordant with the granulomatous hypophysitis. Other possible diagnosis was excluded. Conclusion. The tubercular hypophysitis, as a result of performed tests, is discussed hereby, in the case report.

Background: Primary central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis is an idiopathic inflammatory process that selectively affects CNS vasculature without a systemic inflammatory response, and causes luminal obstruction with resultant ischemia of recipient tissue. Its varying clinical symptoms and signs depend on the caliber of vessels involved and distribution and location of the affected structures. Granulomatous hypophysitis (GH) is an autoimmune inflammatory process typically affecting women, and usually presents with hypopituitarism, and at times, diabetes insipidus, and/or visual loss. Both entities are rare CNS diseases, which, to our knowledge, have never been previously reported in the same patient. Case Description: We present a unique case of chronic progressive primary CNS vasculitis causing limbic encephalopathy in a 30-year-old male with only a history of medication-controlled hypertension. He initially presented 4 months prior with nonspecific neurological complaints and was found to have a homogenously enhancing and enlarged pituitary, which was biopsy proven to be GH. Conclusion: This rather unique presentation highlights the need to maintain a high index of suspicion for underlying PCNS vasculitis in a patient who does not fit the typical demographic for isolated GH.

Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) is a histiocytic condition in the spectrum of non-Langerhans histiocytosis that preferentially affects children. Rarely this condition can involve the central nervous system (CNS) with devastating consequences. The authors report the unique case of an 11-year-old child who initially presented with a sellar lesion without evidence of the cutaneous stigmata typical of JXG. She was later discovered to have JXG following initial diagnosis of granulomatous hypophysitis, with development of widespread intracranial disease and subsequent neurological deterioration. She underwent subtotal resection of her sellar lesion followed by whole brain radiation and systemic chemotherapy; however, she succumbed to her disseminated disease within 1 month of the JXG diagnosis. This is a rare case of fatal disseminated intracranial JXG without cutaneous manifestations. Additionally, the initial presentation as a sellar lesion is particularly unusual and seldom described in the literature.

Hypophysitis is a rare inflammatory condition of the pituitary gland that has three main histologic subtypes: lymphocytic hypophysitis (LH), granulomatous hypophysitis (GH), and xanthomatous hypophysitis (XH). Among these, LH is the most common and is strongly associated with the postpartum state, while XH is the least common. Many hypophysitis cases have been reported in the literature but only a few cases of postpartum GH have been discussed. Here, we describe a case of GH in a 24-year-old female presenting eleven days postpartum. We also review the current literature on postpartum GH and discuss the possible alterations in the immune environment during and after pregnancy that could explain this phenomenon. With more cases of GH being reported, the commonalities of female predominance, postpartum time of presentation, and occasional spontaneous resolution between LH and GH lend support to the theory that these two diseases likely represent spectrums of a single immunologic disorder.

We report a case of 41-year-old lady who presented with chronic headache of 6-month duration and a sellar mass with a suprasellar extension on imaging, which was interpreted as pituitary macroadenoma. She had normal pituitary function and visual perimetry. On clinical examination and imaging it was provisionally diagnosed as pituitary incidentaloma due to hypophysitis and she was advised steroid therapy, but underwent transnasal resection of the tumor against suggestion. Histopathological examination revealed combined granulomatous and lymphocytic hypophysitis most likely of autoimmune in origin. Definitive diagnosis of hypophysitis can be made only on histopathological examination. As most cases of autoimmune hypophysitis are surgically treated, patients should be assessed on individual basis for requirement of steroids in postoperative period.

A 44-year-old male suffered from an inactive pituitary adenoma measuring 20 mm in computed tomography (CT) scan and nuclear magnetic resonance tomography (NMR). The tumor was surgically resected via the transnasal–transsphenoidal route. Surgical specimens revealed a typical, sparsely granulated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) cell adenoma, but also a granulomatous inflammation mostly in the periphery of the tumor, corresponding to a granulomatous hypophysitis. This coincidence appears to be unique and has yet not been described in the literature. Therefore, the clinical data and the pathohistologic and ultrastructural findings are presented here.

Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the pituitary gland are rare, and imaging diagnosis may be difficult. They encompass a wide spectrum of pathology including autoimmune (lymphocytic) hypophysitis, granulomatous hypophysitis, local manifestations of systemic disease, and a multitude of infectious processes. Based on extensive review of the literature, this article will present a classification scheme, description of pathology, and imaging findings of the various inflammatory and infectious entities, along with selected images from our case material.

Objective:To report a rare case of incipient granulomatous hypophysitis presenting by atypical trigemino-autonomic cephalalgia (TAC) and Horner syndrome.Methods:The patient was investigated with repeated brain MRI, CSF examination, thoracic CT, Doppler and duplex ultrasound of the cerebral arteries, and extensive serologic screening for endocrine and autoimmune markers. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for access to clinical files for research purposes and for publication.Results:We present a middle-aged woman with a history of an autoimmune pancreatitis type 2 who had therapy-refractory TAC with Horner syndrome. Initial cerebral MRI showed only indistinct and unspecific signs of a pathologic process. A biopsy revealed a granulomatous hypophysitis. The symptoms disappeared after transsphenoidal subtotal resection of the pituitary mass and anti-inflammatory therapy.Conclusions:This case elucidates that inflammatory pituitary diseases must be taken into account in case of atypical and refractory TAC, especially in patients with a history of autoimmune diseases. To our knowledge, the association between TAC accompanied by Horner syndrome and hypophysitis has not yet been described before.

Hypophysitis can present clinically as a mass lesion of the sella turcica. Secondary hypophysitis occurs in cases where a definite etiologic agent or process inciting the inflammatory reaction can be identified. In contrast, primary hypophysitis refers to inflammation confined to the pituitary gland with no identifiable etiologic associations. We report three cases of primary hypophysitis to illustrate the spectrum of three clinicopathological entities that encompass this disease: lymphocytic hypophysitis, granulomatous hypophysitis, and xanthomatous hypophysitis. Our three patients underwent surgery, with variable response. However, conservative, supportive treatment with or without surgical decompression is generally favored over aggressive and extensive surgical resection that results in hypopituitarism. We conclude that the optimal management of patients with hyophysitis requires a high index of suspicion before extensive surgical resection. Histological confirmation of the diagnosis of hypophysitis can be obtained by performing a biopsy or by requesting an intraoperative frozen section consultation.

Objective Lymphocytic hypophysitis and granulomatous hypophysitis are rarely encountered. The aim of this study was to demonstrate their clinical peculiarities among pituitary disorders and to provide an approach for their clinical management. Methods In a retrospective study, we reviewed our surgical experience with nine patients harboring hypophysitis. The series included six cases of lymphocytic hypophysitis, two cases of granulomatous hypophysitis, and one case with evidence of coexisting lymphocytic and granulomatous hypophysitis. Results A striking similarity of clinical signs was found for our nine patients. Headache or aseptic meningitis, thickening of the sphenoid sinus mucosa, pituitary stalk enlargement, and tongue-shaped extension of the lesion along the basal hypothalamus were characteristic signs. Lymphocytic hypophysitis was not associated with pregnancy in any of the seven cases. No recurrence has been observed in six cases with total removal of the inflammatory tissue. Conclusion Lymphocytic hypophysitis and granulomatous hypophysitis represent related inflammatory disorders. Their conspicuous clinical features frequently allow preoperative diagnosis of hypophysitis. In view of their sometimes insidious clinical course, early surgical exploration is justified.

Primary granulomatous hypophysitis (PGH) is a rarely occurred inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. We retrospective review a case of PGH treated by microsurgical transsphenoidal approach and review the appropriately documented cases of PGH collected from the literatures. The patient was a 56-year-old female who presented with 4 months history of headache and 2 months history of polyuria and polydipsia. Clinic examination did not find remarkable neurological signs, except endocrinological abnormalities of secondary hypothyroidism and hypocorticalism. MRI revealed a symmetric sellar mass, which was isointensity as gray matter on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images with heterogeneous enhancement. The mass was partially resected via transsphenoidal approach. Histological assessment revealed a non-necrotizing granulomatous lesion with chronic inflammation. Although the resection was limited, repeatedly MRI scanning in 3 months following surgery revealed almost normal pituitary soft tissue without evidence of the lesion. Searching in PubMed, we found 21 papers published from 1985 to 2009 and 37 patients with PGH were reported. In order to identify the clinical and radiological presentation, treatment strategy, and prognosis of PGH, we analyzed these 38 cases together. The results indicate that the clinical presentations and radiological signs are helpful for the diagnosis of PGH. The outcome of surgery for PGH is favorable for immediate mass reduction and histological diagnosis, but hormone replacement is required in most cases and long-term follow up is very important.

On histology, IgG4-related hypophysitis is essentially similar to lymphocytic hypophysitis besides massive IgG4-positive plasmacyte infiltration. This immunohistochemical study was performed to investigate the presence of IgG4-positive plasmacytes in 14 various inflammatory lesions. Five cases of lymphocytic hypophysitis and a case of granulomatous hypophysitis were either negative or showed only a few IgG4-postive cells. A case of hypophysitis associated with pachymeningitis and a case of pituitary invasion of lymphoma were IgG4 negative. On the other hand, some IgG4-positive cells that tended to accumulate were observed in every six cases of secondary inflammation. In conclusion, immunohistochemistry for IgG4 can be a clue for differentiating IgG4-related hypophysitis from lymphocytic hypophysitis. However, clusters of IgG4-positive plasmacytes could be observed in secondary inflammation. Diagnosing hypophysitis with small biopsy specimen still remains troublesome.

Lymphocytic or granulomatous hypophysitis is a rare entity with a difficult diagnosis. Our objective was to report a patient with non-tuberculous granulomatous hypophysitis. An HIV-negative 45-year old man with confusional state, subacute ophthalmoplegia, and clinical and laboratory findings of panhypopituitarism was seen in the emergency unit. A cranial MRI showed a sellar mass suggestive of hypophysitis. After an unsuccessful attempt with steroids and antituberculous drugs the patient died. Post-mortem histopathology revealed granulomatous lesions and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium gordonae’s DNA. In conclusion, we should consider granulomatous hypophysitis in the differential diagnosis of non-secreting hypophyseal tumors. The etiology of a pituitary granuloma by a non-tuberculous mycobacteria is best reached by histopathological techniques and molecular assays. The optimal therapy is yet to be established.

We report a case of granulomatous hypophysitis with an unusual pathologic finding of psammoma bodies. This finding has not previously been described in the literature. The diagnostic implications of this finding are complex, and the pathogenesis of psammoma body formation in this idiopathic disorder remains unknown.

Granulomatous hypophysitis (GrHy) is a relatively rare inflammatory disease compared with lymphocytic hypophysitis. Only a few cases with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings have been reported to date. We describe the MRI findings for two patients with GrHy with unusual histories and clinical outcomes.

Hypophysitis has been histologically classified into five types: lymphocytic hypophysitis (LYH), granulomatous hypophysitis (GRH), xanthogranulomatous hypophysitis (XGH), xanthomatous hypophysitis (XH), and necrotizing hypophysitis. The present study evaluated 31 cases of hypophysitis to clarify their characteristic clinicopathologic features. The lesions were histologically classified into four groups: LYH (22 cases) including lymphocytic adenohypophysitis (LAH) (19 cases) and lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis (LINH) (3 cases), GRH (5 cases), XGH (2 cases), and XH (2 cases). In each group, the pituitary gland showed lymphocytic infiltration associated with focal or diffuse hypophysial destruction of variable severity and fibrosis. Histologic and clinical overlap among different types of hypophysitis, especially between LAH and LINH, suggest that these entities may have similar etiologic background and/or represent different stages of the same lesion. Considering the sampling sites and clinical manifestations, LAH may not usually involve the neurohypophysis, but LINH may often extend to the adenohypophysitis. A selective loss of adrenocorticotropic hormone-positive cells was seen in two patients with LAH despite only very slight lymphoplasmacytic infiltration. This suggests that there may be at least two causative mechanisms for hypopituitarism in hypophysitis: nonspecific destruction of all types of adenohypophysical cells by severe inflammation and selective destruction of specific adenohypophysial cells.

Inflammatory lesions of the hypophysis account for 0.5% of all symptomatic diseases of the pituitary, which include lymphocytic hypophysitis, granulomatous hypophysitis with or without specific etiology and pituitary abscess. Sellar tuberculoma is a rare type of granulomatous hypophysitis. We document a case of a postmenopausal lady who presented with galactorrhea, headache and blurring of vision. Based on preliminary investigations, a clinical diagnosis of pituitary adenoma was made and the pituitary gland was surgically excised. Histopathological examination showed caseating granulomas, along with normal areas of preserved pituitary gland and a final diagnosis of tuberculous hypophysitis was made. This case is being documented due to the extremely rare involvement of the pituitary gland by granulomatous lesions such as tuberculosis and to emphasize the role of intraoperative consultation to obviate the need for radical surgery in such lesions.

A 62-year-old female presented with giant cell granulomatous hypophysitis manifesting as subacute unilateral ophthalmoplegia. Neuroimaging revealed a mass lesion expanding in the pituitary fossa. The mass was totally removed through the transsphenoidal approach. The histological diagnosis was giant cell granuloma. The oculomotor nerve paresis resolved completely 10 days after the operation. Giant cell granulomatous hypophysitis is symptomatically and radiologically indistinguishable from non-functioning pituitary adenoma, but is less likely to cause visual disturbance than pituitary adenoma. Giant cell granulomatous hypophysitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sellar and suprasellar lesions, particularly if oculomotor nerve paresis is observed without impaired visual field or acuity.

Lymphocytic and granulomatous hypophysitis are rare causes of anterior pituitary dysfunction, diabetes insipidus and hyperprolactinemia. The clinical, radiographic, and laboratory features of hypophysitis in two adolescent girls are presented along with a review of the medical literature. These subjects represent the youngest cases of autoimmune (lymphocytic) and granulomatous hypophysitis reported to date. While hypophysitis remains an unusual cause of pituitary dysfunction, it may also occur in early adolescence.

Granulomatous hypophysitis is a rare pituitary condition that commonly presents with enlargement of the pituitary gland. A 31-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with a severe headache and bitemporal hemianopsia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an 18 × 10-mm sellar mass with suprasellar extension and compression of the optic chiasm. Interestingly, brain MRI had shown no abnormal finding 4 months previously. On hormonal examination, hypopituitarism with mild hyperprolactinemia was noted. The biopsy revealed granulomatous changes with multinucleated giant cells. We herein report this rare case and discuss the relevant literature.

A 39-year-old woman presented with a 20 day history of recurrent hypoosmolar hyponatremia. Because her volume status seemed to be normal, the most suspected causes of her hyponatremia were adrenal insufficiency and hypothyroidism. Endocrinologic examination, including a combined pituitary function test, showed TSH and ACTH deficiency without GH deficiency, and hyperprolactinemia was also present. Sella MRI showed a pituitary mass, stalk thickening and loss of the normal neurohypophysial hyperintense signal on the T1 weighted image. Pathologic exam demonstrated granulomatous lesions and Langhans' multinucleated giant cells with inflammatory cell infiltration. After high dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy (1 g/day for 3 days) with subsequent prednisolone and levothyoxine replacement, there was no more recurrence of the hyponatremia. The sella MRI on the 6th month showed decreased mass size, narrowed stalk thickening and the reappearance of the normal neurohyphophysial hyperintense signal. She is currently in a good general condition and is receiving hormone replacement therapy.

A 54-year-old man with a long-lasting left-sided headache and biochemical evidence of hyperprolactinemia was found to have a large chromophobe pituitary adenoma, which concurred with a granulomatous hypophysitis. The mechanism of the inflammatory reaction is discussed and the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings of this hitherto undescribed combination of lesions are presented.

A 19-year-old girl with pituitary insufficiency and a large sella turcica was found to have granulomatous hypophysitis in association with a Rathke's cleft cyst. We think that the inflammatory process represents a foreign body reaction to leakage of cyst contents, with destruction of pituitary tissue.

A case of hypopituitarism and minimal sellar enlargement was found at hypophysectomy to have a giant cell granuloma of the pituitary. The clinical and histopathological features of this rare entity are reviewed. It is proposed that hypopituitarism which is out of proportion to minimal sellar enlargement may be a suggestive clue to the preoperative diagnosis of giant cell granulous which normally simulates a pituitary tumour.