Intra-suprasellar schwannoma originating from the diaphragma sellae

Abstract

A 49-year-old woman presented with headache, vomiting and visual disturbance. Neurological examination revealed bitemporal hemianopsia with poor visual acuity. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a bulky intra-suprasellar mass, which was isointense with brain parenchyma on T1-weighted images, and slightly hyperintense on T2-weighted images. After gadolinium administration, the mass was homogeneously enhanced. The mass was partially removed by the endonasal transsphenoidal approach and then the remnant mass was totally removed by the transcranial approach five months later. We found a yellowish mass which was attached to the diaphragm sellae in operation field. Histopathological examination of the tumor revealed the characteristic features of a schwannoma. We report an unusual case of an intra-suprasellar schwannoma resembling a non-functioning pituitary macroadenoma both clinically and radiologically. Copyright © 2009 The Korean Neurosurgical Society.