3D Printed Pituitary Adenoma

3D Printed Pituitary Adenoma Clinical HistoryA 29-year old male presented with a 22 month history of headaches and blurred vision. Examination revealed a bi-temporal hemianopia and a left VIth nerve palsy. Skull X-ray showed erosion of most of the sphenoid body with some dorsum sellae and anterior clinoid process intact. Carotid angiography showed upward and lateral displacement of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries. Pneumoencephalography (a common imaging procedure used until the 1970s in which CSF is drained and replaced by air, oxygen or helium that acted as a contrast medium in X-ray examinations) showed upward displacement of the lateral and third ventricles from below. A craniotomy was performed but the patient died immediately afterwards. Pathology The brain specimen is sliced in the sagittal plane to the right of the falx cerebri, which remains in-situ. The pituitary gland has been completely replaced by a round tumour 4cm in maximum diameter