Pituitary adenoma – Quick review card

Pituitary tumors - ie Pituitary adenomas or tumours of the anterior pituitary , Most are benign , slow growing adenomas Pituitary adenomas are non -metastasizing neoplasms ( Pituitary carcinoma , a malignant tumour is extremely rare ) Third most common cause of CNS tumours in adults Presentation is based on the hormone secreted and mass effect due to size About a 3rd of PA's are incidentilomas ie they are detected incidentally during unrelated imaging or post mortem examinations Most PA's are sporadic ( 95 % ) but some may occur as part of inherited syndromes as MEN 1

Functioning - with hormone production Prolactinoma -overproduces prolactin ( lactotroph ) Acromegaly - excess growth hormone ( somatotroph ) Cushing'd disease - overproduction of cortisol ( corticotroph ) TSH secreting pituitary adenoma (thyrotroph )thyrotropinoma , excess TSH secretion causing hyperthryoidism Gonadotroph adenoma ( rare ) Plurihormonal - make more than 1 hormone

Clinically Non-functioning PA's ( CNFPA's without production of hormones )

no secretion of any detectable hormones symptoms are due to mass effect as visual field defect ( compression of optic chiasm ) and headache ( irritation and increased stretch of the dura mater )

Tumor compressing normal pituitary gland Primary...