The differential diagnosis of nonpituitary sellar masses is broad; differentiating among potential etiologies may not always be straightforward because many of these lesions, tumorous and nontumorous, may mimic the clinical, endocrinologic, and radiologic presentations of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors 1).

The differential diagnosis of pituitary metastases is broadly that of pituitary region masses, and generally can be narrowed depending on the morphology of the lesion.

Solid and enhancing pituitary region masses has a differential which includes:

  pituitary neuroendocrine tumor
  craniopharyngioma (papillary type)
  meningioma
  lymphocytic hypophysitis
  lymphoma

Nodular thickening and enhancement of the infundibulum have a differential that includes 1:

  CNS tuberculosis
  Langerhans cell histiocytosis (Eosinophilic granuloma)
  sarcoidosis
  lymphocytic hypophysitis
1)
Freda PU, Post KD. Differential diagnosis of sellar masses. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1999 Mar;28(1):81-117, vi. doi: 10.1016/s0889-8529(05)70058-x. PMID: 10207686.