Objective: To make a clear distinction of intrasellar cystic lesions: craniopharyngioma (CR), Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC), cystic pituitary adenoma (PA) and intrasellar arachnoid cyst (AC).
Methods: A total of 72 adult patients underwent transsphenoidal approach for the removal of intrasellar cystic lesions. The authors conducted a study to (1) investigate preoperative clinical, biochemical and radiographic features of patients with CR, RCC, PA and AC; (2) identify clinicopathological features of independently predicting recurrence in CR, PA and RCC in adults. These adult patients included CR (n = 10), RCC (n = 27), cystic PA (n = 32) and 1 patient with AC (n = 1).
Results: The CR patients presented with hypopituitarism in 80% of cases. According to the biochemical criteria, the percentage of patients with a slight prolactin increase happened in PA (55.6%) and RCC (44.4%). Cystic PA had post-contrasting enhancement in cyst wall because of tumor tissue. Calcification detectable on computed tomographic scanning was present in 70% of CR patients. It was a significantly greater proportion compared to other diseases. Typical RCC was located between anterior and posterior pituitary and the contents in RCC were variable. Mass effects vanished post-operatively in all kinds of lesions. Long-term hormone replacement therapy was administered more in CR patients (60%) and diabetes insipidus than other lesions. One PA patient and 2 CR patients had recurrence during a follow-up of 12 - 52 months (mean: 34). RCC and AC had no recurrence.
Conclusion: Craniopharyngioma, Rathke's cleft cyst, cystic pituitary adenoma and intrasellar arachnoid cyst are a spectrum of diseases with different therapeutic strategies. An accurate diagnosis of these lesions is essential so as to determine the type of treatment to improve outcome.