The Endocrinological Characteristics of Rathke’s Cleft Cyst: Pathologically Confirmed in Seven Cases.

Abstract

Rathke’s cleft cyst is a cystic sellar or suprasellar lesion thought to originate from the remnants of Rathke’s pouch. It is characteristically lined by a single layer of ciliated cuboidal or columnar epithelium. Although small asymptomatic Rathke’s cleft cysts have been reported at autopsy in 2~26% of normal pituitary glands, symptomatic cysts are rare. For patients with symptomatic Rathke’s cleft cysts presentation with headache, pituitary dysfunction, and visual loss caused by compression of the optic chiasm in the event of suprasellar extension, is common. We report the endocrine characteristics of seven cases of patients with symptomatic Rathke’s cleft cyst diagnosed with pathologic confirmation.