Lymphocytic Adenohypophysitis

✓ The authors report a nulliparous patient presenting with infertility and hyperprolactinemia. She underwent transsphenoidal surgery after radiological investigation disclosed an enlarged pituitary gland which did not respond to bromocriptine therapy. The removed tissue had histological features consistent with adenohypophysitis including a diffuse lymphocytic infiltrate. The lymphocyte subsets present in the infiltrate were characterized by immunohistochemical methods to establish the contribution of different elements of the cellular immune response. Lymphocytes bearing CD4 antigen (helper-inducer cells) were most prominent and appeared to bear the majority of the interleukin-2 receptor (expressed during lymphocytic activation) present in the pituitary gland. A few B lymphocytes were also observed. The location of the major histocompatibility antigen (classes I and II) and interleukin-2 receptor correlated with the lymphocytes and macrophages rather than with the stromal or parenchymal elements of the pituitary. Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis is an unusual cause of pituitary enlargement which can mimic a pituitary tumor, and is sometimes associated with hyperprolactinemia. In women of child-bearing age, it almost always occurs during pregnancy or the postpartum stage. The autoimmune disorder reported here has not previously been associated with infertility nor has the lymphocytic infiltrate of the pituitary previously been analyzed in detail by modern immunological methods.

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Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis: contrast-enhanced MR imaging in five cases.

Radiology ◽

10.1148/radiology.195.1.7892490 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 195 (1) ◽

pp. 30-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 76

Author(s):

J Ahmadi ◽

G S Meyers ◽

H D Segall ◽

O P Sharma ◽

D R Hinton

Keyword(s):

Mr Imaging ◽

Contrast Enhanced ◽

Lymphocytic Adenohypophysitis

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Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis associated with Rathke’s cleft cyst

Endocrine Pathology ◽

10.1007/bf02738733 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 337-343 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hiroshi Nishioka ◽

Hiroshi Ito ◽

Tamotsu Miki ◽

Jun Wada ◽

Toshiaki Sano

Keyword(s):

Rathke’S Cleft Cyst ◽

Rathke's Cleft Cyst ◽

Lymphocytic Adenohypophysitis ◽

Rathke's Cleft

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Lymphocytic Adenohypophysitis with Sudden Onset of Diabetes Insipidus in Menopausal Female —Case Report—

Neurologia medico-chirurgica ◽

10.2176/nmc.32.346 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 32 (6) ◽

pp. 346-350 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Kazuhiro ITO ◽

Jiro MUKAWA ◽

Koichi MIYAGI ◽

Eiichi TAKARA ◽

Susumu MEKARU ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Diabetes Insipidus ◽

Sudden Onset ◽

Female Case ◽

Lymphocytic Adenohypophysitis ◽

Onset Of Diabetes

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Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis of pregnancy simulating a pituitary adenoma: a distinct pathological entity

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/jns.1982.56.1.0148 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 148-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

David S. Baskin ◽

Jeannette J. Townsend ◽

Charles B. Wilson

Keyword(s):

Pituitary Adenoma ◽

Lymphocytic Infiltration ◽

Optic Chiasm ◽

Temporal Relation ◽

Temporal Association ◽

Pituitary Mass ◽

Content Type ◽

Lymphocytic Adenohypophysitis ◽

Suprasellar Extension ◽

Fine Print

✓ Diffuse lymphocytic infiltration of the adenohypophysis occurring in temporal relation to pregnancy was found in two patients, each of whom had an intasellar mass with suprasellar extension that caused compression of the optic chiasm. The pathology and etiology of this lesion is discussed. This entity should be considered when evaluating patients with a pituitary mass lesion that presents in temporal association to pregnancy, particularly if there is evidence of hypopituitarism rather than a hypersecreting, endocrineactive adenoma.

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