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Infrasellar craniopharyngiomas: case report and review of the literature
Insights
This report details a rare infrasellar craniopharyngioma in a child, a location previously undocumented without sellar involvement. This finding expands the known spectrum of craniopharyngiomas and ameloblastomas.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Pathology
Background:
- Craniopharyngiomas are common pediatric intracranial tumors with a bimodal age distribution.
- Typically, these neoplasms occur in the suprasellar or sellar regions.
- Understanding rare presentations is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Observation:
- An unusual case of an infrasellar craniopharyngioma in a pediatric patient is presented.
- This specific case involved no sellar involvement, a rare characteristic.
- Only four similar infrasellar craniopharyngioma cases have been previously reported.
Findings:
- A transnasal endoscopic biopsy confirmed the preliminary diagnosis of craniopharyngioma.
- The patient underwent successful radical tumor resection via a subfrontal transbasal approach.
- This case highlights the infrasellar region as a rare but possible location for craniopharyngiomas.
Implications:
- Craniopharyngiomas should be included in the differential diagnosis for infrasellar neoplasms.
- Infrasellar craniopharyngiomas represent a part of the tumor spectrum originating from neural crest cells.
- This case contributes to the understanding of rare pediatric brain tumors and their varied anatomical locations.
Abstract:
Although craniopharyngiomas account for a large percentage of pediatric intracranial tumors, there is a bimodal age distribution. Most of these neoplasms are suprasellar or sellar in location. In this report we describe an unusual case of an infrasellar craniopharyngioma in a child. Only four previous cases of infrasellar craniopharyngiomas with no sellar involvement have been described. Infrasellar craniopharyngiomas are part of the continuum representing intracranial craniopharyngiomas and ameloblastomas of the jaw. A transnasal endoscopic biopsy was performed with a preliminary diagnosis of craniopharyngioma. The patient then underwent a radical resection of the infrasellar tumor via a subfrontal transbasal approach. This case illustrates a rare and unusual location for a craniopharyngioma. Craniopharyngiomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infrasellar neoplasms. Infrasellar craniopharyngiomas compromise part of the spectrum of tumors originating from enamel-forming neural crest cells.
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