Hypothalamic lipoma and growth hormone deficiency.

Intracranial lipomas are rare, congenital lesions, most often located at the midline. Most hypothalamic lipomas are asymptomatic, but some cases have been associated with precocious puberty, hypothermia, headache and/or obesity.A 7-year-old boy was referred for short stature and proved to be partially growth-hormone deficient. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a lipoma in the paramedian hypothalamus. Growth hormone treatment resulted in swift and uncomplicated catch-up growth.The present case appears to be the first to link hypothalamic lipoma to GH deficiency. The neuro-endocrine pathophysiology underpinning this link remains to be explored.