A paleopathological case of pituitary tumor, Eagle’s syndrome and ossifying fibroma

Al-Shorman, Abdulla

doi:10.5603/mrj.2018.0016

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 22 publications

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“…Although some pathologies that could create that type of bone erosion do not leave distinguishing marks in the fossil record to aid in the differential diagnosis, a slowgrowing benign adenoma leaves some traces as clues, such as remodeled and irregular lesion edges (Marques, 2019) similar to what was observed (Figure 3 arrows). Also, the specific location of the alteration may only have been caused by pituitary growth, expanding the sella turcica, which is observed in literature (e.g., Al-Shorman, 2018;Canci et al, 1992;Hacking, 1995;Hawkins, 1992;Ortner, 2003;Ortner & Putschar, 1985). Other conditions that specifically caused this feature are unlikely, as they should cause marks on adjacent bones (Ortner, 2003).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 94%

The first evidence of pituitary gland tumor in ground sloth Valgipes bucklandi Lund, 1839

Amaral

Carvalho

Azevedo

et al. 2021

The Anatomical Record

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Bone diseases are commonly found in the fossil record, especially in mammals of the Pleistocene megafauna, which exhibit signs of overload in the articulations. However, pathologies that affect soft tissues are not usually reported, even due to the nature of fossilization that rarely preserves such materials. In paleoneurological research using CT scan and three‐dimensional reconstructions of Pleistocene sloths, an anomaly is discovered in the space that houses the pituitary gland, the sella turcica. The tomographic analysis of a Valgipes bucklandi skull revealed a great enlargement at the sella turcica, at the medial region in the body of the basisphenoid bone. The images delimit an enlarged dorsal–ventral projection, measuring approximately 15 mm height, at the tridimensional reconstructed endocranium. Taphonomic processes, such as the action of necrophagous agents, were discarded due to the shape and conditions of the structure, which also showed signs of bone remodeling. Thus, it is possible to affirm that a paleopathological process altered the size of the pituitary gland of the specimen MCT 3993‐M, being probably a pituitary tumor.

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