Empty sella headache

Empty sella syndrome associated with central nervous system cysticercosis

A 55-year-old woman presented with severe recurrent headache accompanied by dizziness. The brain CT scan showed multiple low-density cystic lesions in the suprasellar and left sylvian cisternae with total empty sell syndrome. The communication between the cisternae and the suprasellar cyst was not verified on the metrizamide CT scan. Treatment with praziquantel resulted in headache inilially and a rise in specific IgG.

Chronobiological aspects of headache syndromes due to sellar or pituitary pathology

A chronobiological study was carried out in headache syndromes due to empty sella or to pituitary G.H.- and PRL-secreting adenomas. In the empty sella syndrome only the chrono-organization of G.H. secretion was disturbed, whereas pl. PRL exhibited the usual circadian pattern. The circadian rhythms of pl. G.H. and pl. PRL were abolished in G.H.- and PRL-secreting pituitary tumors, respectively, and were again detectable when patients were cured by selective transsphenoidal adenomectomy. A normal circadian rhythmicity of pl. cortisol was demonstrable in the empty sella syndrome and in pituitary adenomas, both before and after surgery.