A case of ectopic large pituitary adenoma
Iwai, Y.; Hakuba, A.; Katsuyama, J.; Nagata, Y.; Nishimura, S.; Abe, K.; Asakura, T.; Inoue, Y.
No Shinkei Geka. Neurological Surgery 18(1): 71-75
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-2603 PMID: 2406640 Document Number: 364893
Ectopic pituitary adenomas are very rare and only 17 cases have been reported. In this paper we present a case of large pituitary adenoma originating in the suprasellar region. A 26-year-old man was admitted to our clinic with a chief complaint of headaches. Neurological examination revealed slight disorientation and bilateral choked disk. Hormonal study revealed that the serum prolactin level was 3300ng/ml and serum growth hormone level was 29.5ng/ml. Computed tomography showed a large mass in the suprasellar region extending upward to the third ventricle and backward to the pons. T1-weighted MR imaging revealed that the intensity of the mass was the same as that of the cerebral cortex and the pituitary gland was showing high intensity in the pituitary fossa. The tumor was radically removed via the transpetrosal transtentorial approach. Histologically, the tumor was a prolactin-growth hormones producing pituitary adenoma. The literature was reviewed and the origin of the tumor was discussed.