Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 86. (Budapest 1994)

Józsa, L. ; Pap, I.: Hypophyseal tumour on a male skull from the 11-13th centuries period, Hungary

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 86. Budapest, 1994 p. 139-143 Hypophyseal tumour on a male skull from the 11-13th centuries period, Hungary by L. JÓZSA & I. PAP, Budapest JÓZSA, L. & PAH, I. (1994): Hypophyseal tumour on a male skull from the ll-13th centuries period, Hungary. Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 86: 139-143. Abstract - The authors discovered hypophyseal tumour when X-raying a male skull from the 11-13th centuries. The depth of sella turcica is 25%, the length of it is 60% and the area is 64% more than the greatest values obtained with healthy control persons. The sella data of this man match those of histologically verified recent hypophyseal tumour cases. Diffuse hyperostosis was ascertained. With 8 figures and 2 tables. INTRODUCTION Diseases of the endocrine glands are most seldom possible to trace back on historical material. What is more there are some disease entities (goitre, Cushing's syndrome) that could not be recognized on human skeletalized bones. Though the number of case reports is very limited, hypophyseal diseases are diagnosed most frequently of all endocrine disturbances. Somatotropic hormone over-production is often the result of one of the hypophyseal tumours, namely eosinophilic adenoma. When it arises during the period of growth it causes gigantism. If it occurs after closure of the epiphyseal plates it brings about acromegaly, i. e. disproportionate enlargement of protruding parts of the body (nose, gnathion, hands). The most frequent tumour of the pituitary is chromophob cellular adenoma and it normally produces no hormonal disturbances. Being a slowly developing tumour it can remain symptomfree for a long time and does not disturb normal vital activities (PÁSZTOR 1984). X-ray pictures of the sella turcica have been utilized to characterize and diagnose the pathological conditions of hypophysis since the beginning of this century (TiLLiER 1955, LOEPP & LORENZ 1971). Anatomical and radiological data of ordinary sella turcica tend to fall within the following boundaries: height 9-12 mm, sagittal diameter 12-16 mm, area 90-120 (KÖHLER & ZIMMER 1956, TILLIER 1955). KARLINGEN (1990) pointed out that any sella higher than 12 mm is always liable to indicate the presence of hypophysis tumour on the basis of computer-tomographic analysis. Extremely large area (larger than 150 mm ) of sella turcica is almost certainly an indicator of hypophyseal tumour (KÖHLER & ZIMMER 1956). There is no such unambiguous opinion on small size (less than 80 mm") sella turcica. Some authors attach no special importance to it (TILLIER 1955), while others mention the hypoplasia of the hypophysis and hypopituitarism (WOLPART et al. 1984). We found an enlarged sella during the radiological examinations of skulls in an effort to find lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS Case report: from the cemetery of Csíkvár 6 graves were dug up by BÉLA BAI.ANYI, the director of Arany János Museum, Nagykőrös during excavations in 1958-1960 and 1965. A well-preserved mature male skull was found in one of these graves (PAP 1979, 1983). The trace (18 x 10x3 mm size) of a healed impressioned fracture was found on the os frontale in line with sutura metopica (PAP 1984, PAP & JÓZSA 1991). Unfortunately the postcranial bones are missing. The material is housed in Arany János Museum (Nagykőrös) (inventory number: 72.36.1.).