Diaphragma sellae metastasis from colon carcinoma mimicking a meningioma. A case report

We describe a rare case of metastatic intra-suprasellar adenocarcinoma from colonic cancer mimicking a meningioma of the "diaphragma sellae". Autopsy studies indicate breast and lung carcinoma to be the most frequent primary tumor metastasizing this site, particularly in patients with systemic spread. While diabetes insipidus is reported to be one of the commonest symptoms in these cases, the only clinical manifestation of the tumor in our patient was a bitemporal hemianopia, while the primary tumor remained asymptomatic. In the available literature are reported only two pituitary metastasis from operated colon carcinoma. In both cases the diagnosis of the colon cancer preceded the pituitary operation. The clinico-pathological and neuroradiological aspects of this unusual lesion are analyzed in the light of the relevant literature on the topic focusing on recent MRI acquisitions.