Diagnosis of Rathke's Cleft Cyst
To diagnose a Rathke's cleft cyst, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms as they relate to a positive Rathke's cleft cyst diagnosis.

1. Symptoms of Rathke's cleft cysts
Many Rathke's cleft cysts are asymptomatic, which means they do not cause any symptoms.

As the cysts get larger, they may press on a surrounding structure. Symptoms associated with compression include:

Pituitary dysfunction
Visual disturbances
Headaches

2. Testing to diagnose Rathke's cleft cysts
Imaging studies such as MRI and CT scans can detect the presence of a mass and show its cystic character however, MRI and CT scans are insufficient for a positive Rathke's cleft cyst diagnosis.

Additional tests must be performed to help rule out other possible diagnoses, such as:

Arachnoid cysts
Cystic pituitary adenomas
Epidermoid cysts

A correct diagnosis is particularly important for Rathke's cleft cysts because the treatment differs from that of other possible lesions.

The diagnosis is confirmed by a sample of the cystic capsule that is sent to pathological analysis during surgical drainage of the cyst.