No abstract available.
Fetus* ; Humans* ; Pituitary Gland*

Twelve cases of histologically confirmed pituitary adenomas, classified as Grade 1 to 2B, underwent transsphenoidal surgery. Sixty-six percent of the tumors were functioning. Four of the tumors were microadenomas and 8 were macroadenomas, 5 of which had supresellar extensions. There was no operative mortality. The lone morbidity was that of a chronic subdural hematoma that was succesfully evacuated. The procedure provided a more rapid and direct access to the pituitary gland, better differentiation of the tumor from the gland, less trauma to the patient and less probability of injury to nearby structures. Visual function improvement and endocrinologic care rates were excellent.

The tumors containing ganglion cells are rare in the pituitary gland. These tumors are divided into two groups. The first group is the cases of mixed gangliocytoma-adenoma that contained both gangliocytoma and pituitary adenoma elements in the same tumor and the second group is those of gangliocytoma that contained only gangliocytoma element. Since the first description by Kiyono in 1926, 45 cases have been reported. The most common presentation of these tumors is acromegaly and the cases of Cushings disease and galactorrhea-amenorrhea also have been reported. In immunohistochemical study, hypothalamic-releasing hormones are stained in gangliocytoma cells and adenohypophyseal hormones are stained in adenoma cells. The releasing hormones stained in gangliocytoma element and the pituitary hormones stained in adenoma elements are usually closely related but unrelated cases also have been reported. We report a case of a 41 year-old lady with acromegaly which was diagnosed as mixed gangliocytoma-adenoma after surgical removal of the pituitary tumor.
Acromegaly* ; Adenoma ; Adult ; Ganglion Cysts ; Ganglioneuroma ; Humans ; Pituitary Gland* ; Pituitary Hormones ; Pituitary Hormones, Anterior ; Pituitary Neoplasms

The authors present two cases of intrasellar schwannoma, a condition rarely reported in the literature. The patients presented with symptoms of hypopituitarism. Sellar magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) revealed intrasellar masses extending into the suprasellar region, with the normal pituitary gland also identifiable in the imaging study. The tumors were removed via trans-sphenoidal route, and found to be very firm, unlike usual pituitary adenomas. Tissue diagnosis confirmed the tumors as schwannoma.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypopituitarism ; Neurilemmoma* ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Neoplasms

Hemangioblastomas in the pituitary stalk are especially rare. Most pituitary stalk hemangioblastomas reported in the literature were associated with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. Here, we report only the 3rd case of sporadic pituitary stalk hemangioblastoma diagnosed in a 60-year-old woman. Despite the danger of potential complications due to excessive vascularity or proximity to important neural structures, the tumor in our case was successfully removed while preserving pituitary function. In this case, complete surgical excision was shown to be an effective treatment option for symptomatic pituitary stalk hemangioblastoma, and we suggest careful evaluation of any highly enhancing mass with a signal void in the pituitary stalk preoperatively, even if no VHL disease is evident.
Female ; Hemangioblastoma* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pituitary Gland*

No abstract available.
Hypopituitarism* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pituitary Gland*

PURPOSE: To determine whether dynamic or conventional MR imaging is most useful for the detection of pituitary microadenoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 20 patients (M:F=1:19, mean age=37 years) in whom a pituitary microadenoma had been identified. Routine unenhanced coronal T1-weighted MR imaging was followed by dynamic imaging (repetition time/echo time/excitation=200/10/1, 3-mm-thick sections, 256X128 or 256 ma-trix,14X14-cm field of view, scan time=30 or 60 seconds, spin-echo pulse sequence), and contrast-enhanced coronal T1-weighted imaging was then immediately performed. Temporal changes in signal intensity were quantified with manually placed ROIs (regions of interest, circular, 3 mm 2), and tissue contrast between the pituitary gland and microadenoma was calculated. Conspicuity of the tumor margin was graded by three radiologists working independently as either 4 (excellent clear margin), 3 (good clear margin), 2 (relatively clear mar-gin), or 1 (unclear margin). RESULTS: Average peak enhancement of the pituitary gland and microadenoma occurred at 58.5 and 91.5 seconds, respectively. Maximum enhancement of the pituitary gland occurred within 30 to 60 seconds of contrast infusion (signal intensity range: 426-442), but during dynamic MR imaging, the microadenoma showed rela-tively constant enhancement (signal intensity range: 230 -250). Maximal contrast between normal pituitary gland and the microadenoma was seen at 60 seconds or in the first three sequential images. Dynamic MR images were superior to conventional T1-weighted images, with or without contrast infusion, not only in terms of tissue contrast between the pituitary gland and the microadenoma (p=0.0048), but also as regards tumor margin conspicuity (p=0.0035). CONCLUSION: Dynamic MR imaging is a useful technique in the detection of pituitary microadenoma.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pituitary Gland

Postpartum ischemic necrosis of the pituitary gland, known as Sheehan's syndrome, is well-established clinical entity. The recent progress in radiological imaging allows an easy and noninvasive study of the pituitary area in the patients while still alive. An empty or partially empty sella is a constant feature of Sheehan's syndrome in the later phase. We report a case of nonhemorrhagic postpartum pituitary infarction documented in the acute phase with clinical, endocrine, and sequential magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies.
Humans ; Hypopituitarism* ; Infarction ; Necrosis ; Pituitary Apoplexy* ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Postpartum Period

OBJECTIVES: Pituitary apoplexy is a well-described clinical syndrome resulting from pituitary hemorrhage, hemorrhagic infarction, or infarction, almost invariably occurring in the presence of an adenoma. We analyzed pituitary apoplexy with an emphasis on clinical presentation, pathology and predisposing factors. METHODS: We reviewed 35 histologically proven pituitary adenomas, operated from January 1995 to August 1999, to select 8 cases which showed clinical or operative findings compatible with pituitary apoplexy. These patients were analyzed in terms of symptom and sign, hormonal status, and predisposing factors, pathologic findings. RESULTS: Among 35 surgically treated tumors of the pituitary gland, 8 cases(23%) were diagnosed as pituitary apoplexy. The pathologic findings revealed hemorrhage(7 cases) and infarction(1 case) of pituitary adenomas. One case had predisposing factor of appendectomy. The most common presenting symptom and sign were sudden severe headache and visual disturbance. CONCLUSION: We treated pituitary apoplexy surgically and obtained good outcomes. Pituitary apoplexy due to massive infarction of the pituitary gland is very rare condition but surgical treatment by trans-spheniodal surgery showed a good result.
Adenoma ; Appendectomy ; Causality ; Headache ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Pathology ; Pituitary Apoplexy* ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Neoplasms

Cause of pituitary apoplexy has been known as hemorrhage, hemorrhagic infarction or infarction of pituitary adenoma or adjacent tissues of pituitary gland. However, pituitary apoplexy caused by pure infarction of pituitary adenoma has been rarely reported. Here, we present the two cases pituitary apoplexies caused by pituitary adenoma infarction that were confirmed by transsphenoidal approach (TSA) and pathologic reports. Pathologic report of first case revealed total tumor infarction of a nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenoma and second case partial tumor infarction of ACTH secreting pituitary macroadenoma. Patients with pituitary apoplexy which was caused by pituitary adenoma infarction unrelated to hemorrhage or hemorrhagic infarction showed good response to TSA treatment. Further study on the predisposing factors of pituitary apoplexy and the mechanism of infarction in pituitary adenoma is necessary.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Pituitary Apoplexy ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Neoplasms