Craniopharyngioma in adults

Initial signs of a craniopharyngioma in a 58 years old woman were a decrease in visual acuity and suppression of the pupillary light reflex. Perimetric signs were: left: central scotoma with an inferior temporal defect of the peripheral field; right: superior temporal field defect. The CT scan showed an intrasellar tumor, extending into the suprasellar region, isodensity of the tumor being the main finding. The radiological diagnosis was adenoma, but all the perimetric defects disappeared spontaneously, and the post-operative diagnosis was craniopharyngioma. Variations of the visual field defect are one of the most typical signs of craniopharyngioma, and absence of calcification, with isodensity of the tumor on the CT scan may lead to a mistaken.