Hypothalamic hamartoma: report of a case with unusual histologic features

Am J Surg Pathol. 1998 Dec;22(12):1538-41. doi: 10.1097/00000478-199812000-00011.

Abstract

A rare case of hypothalamic hamartoma with unusual radiologic and histopathological features is described, possibly the first of its type in English literature. A 1.5-year-old female child presented with precocious puberty. MR scan of the brain revealed a pedunculated hypothalamic mass, most of which was isointense with normal brain on T1- and T2-weighted images. However, a sizeable component of the lesion was hyperintense on T1-weighted images, suggestive of adipose tissue. Microscopically, the lesion was a hamartoma composed of an admixture of neuroectodermal elements, namely glial cells, neurons, and nerve bundles along with mesenchymal elements in the form of fibroadipose tissue.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Brain Diseases / metabolism
  • Brain Diseases / pathology*
  • Brain Diseases / surgery
  • Female
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Hamartoma / metabolism
  • Hamartoma / pathology*
  • Hamartoma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism
  • Hypothalamus / pathology*
  • Hypothalamus / surgery
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Infant
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / metabolism
  • Puberty, Precocious / etiology
  • S100 Proteins / metabolism
  • Synaptophysin / metabolism

Substances

  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • S100 Proteins
  • Synaptophysin
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase