[Lipoma of the skull base. A case report]

Abstract

Objectives: Intra osseous lipomas are rare benign tumours that occur most frequently within the metaphysis of long bones. Involvement of the skull base is exceptional. We report a case of a lipoma of the skull base discovered incidentally.

Methods: A 45 year-old female patient consulted for galactorrhea with Hyperprolactinemia.

Results: MRI showed, in addition to the microadenoma, a high signal intensity T1 and T2 and fat saturated expansive lesion of the body and the right greater wing of the sphenoid. CT-scan of the skull base showed that this lesion was a well circumscribed fat containing and trabeculated lytic lesion leading to the diagnosis of a lipoma of the sphenoid.

Conclusions: Lipomas of the skull base are exceptional. They are well recognized on CT-scan and MRI and in typical cases biopsies are not necessary. No treatment is necessary for asymptomatic lesions.