Silent Corticotropic Adenomas of the Pituitary Gland: Cases Report.
- Author:
Choong Hyun KIM
1
;
Young Il HA
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Kangnam General Hospital, Public Corporation, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Pituitary adenoma;
Silent corticotropic adenoma;
ACTH;
Immunohistochemistry;
Electron microscopy
- MeSH:
Adenoma*;
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone;
Adult;
Biopsy;
Female;
Headache;
Hematoxylin;
Humans;
Immunohistochemistry;
Male;
Microscopy, Electron;
Middle Aged;
Pituitary Gland*;
Pituitary Neoplasms
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
1996;25(7):1489-1495
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
This is our report of two cases of pituitary adenoma containing immunoreactive adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) in tumor specimens but unassociated with Cushing's disease. The first case is a 39-year-old male with visual disturbance for 3 years. He was in a eucorticoid state clinically and biochemically. A large size pituitary tumor was found and removed by trans-sphenoidal approach. The tumor specimen was confirmed as adenoma with hematoxylin and eosin(H & E) staining;and immunohistochemical study demonstrated strong positivity for ACTH. The second case is a 61-year-old female with progressive deterioration of visual function and headache. She had no signs of symptoms of hormonal excess and was found to have a pituitary macroadenoma which was then removed by the trans-sphenoidal route. Surgical specimen also showed findings of adenoma;and immunohistochemical study revealed the presence of ACTH in biopsy. Since silent corticotropic adenoma of the pituitary gland is rarely encountered, the authors therefore report these 2 cases and causes of endocrinologic silence with review of literatures.
