A candidate case for lymphocytic infundibulo-neurohypophysitis mimicking a neurohypophysial tumor

Abstract

A 56-year-old Japanese man presented with a 2-month duration of polyuria and polydipsia. The diagnosis of diabetes insipidus was confirmed by water deprivation and vasopressin injection. The secretory function of the adenohypophysis was estimated as normal by a variety of provocative tests. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) displayed the loss of the hyperintense signal of the neurohypophysis and a tumor-like lesion confined to the neurohypophysis. The tissue specimen resected at transsphenoidal surgery showed diffuse lymphocytic infiltration. These findings suggest that this is a candidate case for lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis (LIN) that is not identical to classical lymphocytic hypophysitis. This patient will be followed up to determine whether this case simply represents an early stage of classical hypophysitis or a different clinical entity.