An isolated pituitary metastasis as presentation of a differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma mimicking a nonfunctioning macroadenoma

Abstract

The differential diagnosis of sellar masses may be complex. Metastatic disease constitutes 1% of all pituitary lesions and sometimes mimics the clinical-radiological presentation of pituitary adenoma. The definitive diagnosis usually relies on histology, but occasionally even histological features of pituitary metastasis may resemble those of adenomas. We present a patient initially diagnosed with pituitary adenoma, but whose clinical course finally revealed pituitary metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma. The existing literature on this topic is reviewed.