Abstract
An ectopic salivary gland was discovered within the pituitary gland of an 11-year-old boy who had been diagnosed as a pituitary dwarf at the age of 9. On admission his height was 129.5 cm and his weight 31 kg. Pituitary function studies revealed only hyposecretion of growth hormone. There was no neurologic deficit. Plain computed tomography showed a well-defined, high-density mass extending from the sella into the suprasellar cistern. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a cystic lesion, with reduction of the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) and spin-spin relaxation time (T2). The cyst was totally removed through the trans-sphenoidal approach. Histopathologic examination disclosed that the cyst, which was situated in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, contained acid to neutral mucopolysaccharides and acinar tissue formed from simple epithelium. The cells were cuboidal or columnar, with distinct walls. The diagnosis was typical salivary gland. Other cases of extracranial ectopic salivary glands have been reported. However, symptomatic ectopic salivary glands having a pituitary origin are very rare. Nonetheless, ectopic salivary gland should be included in the differential diagnosis of sellar and parasellar lesions. The authors describe this case in detail and review the pertinent literature.
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