Mixed germ cell tumor of the pituitary-hypothalamic region presenting as craniopharyngioma: case report and review of the literature

Craniopharyngiomas and germ cell tumors (GCT) may affect the pituitary-hypothalamic region during childhood. Although different in origin, their clinical and radiological features may be similar. In this article we present a 5-year-old girl with clinical and radiological findings (computer tomography calcification) that were initially considered as craniopharyngioma. However clinical outcome, blood and cerebral spinal fluid tumoral markers, and results from anatomopathology and immunohistochemistry disclosed a mixed GCT. This case report highlights that some clinical features and radiological findings of pituitary-hypothalamic tumors may be misdiagnosed as craniopharyngioma mainly when there is a mature teratoma with cartilaginous tissue differentiation.