The specificity of serum prolactin as a diagnostic indicator of pituitary adenoma

1979 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saul Balagura ◽  
Andrew G. Frantz ◽  
Edgar M. Housepian ◽  
Peter W. Carmel
Keyword(s):  
Pituitary Adenoma ◽  
Neurological Disease ◽  
Pituitary Tumors ◽  
Serum Prolactin ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regular Work ◽  
Work Up ◽  
Diagnostic Indicator ◽  
Fine Print ◽  
Rule Out

✓ Serum prolactin levels were determined in 205 patients with a variety of intracranial diseases, including 70 cases with pituitary tumors. It is concluded that although the absence of elevated prolactin levels does not help to rule out pituitary pathology, the presence of hyperprolactinemia is highly specific for diseases of the pituitary and hypothalamus, and prolactin determination should be part of the regular work-up of pituitary tumor suspects. Excluding known causes of hyperprolactinemia, such as tranquilizing drug ingestion, the presence of neurological disease outside the hypothalamic-pituitary area was not associated with increased serum prolactin concentrations.

Cerebellar metastasis from a prolactinoma during treatment with bromocriptine

1981 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil A. Martin ◽  
Martha Hales ◽  
Charles B. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Pituitary Adenoma ◽  
Pituitary Tumors ◽  
Metastatic Tumor ◽  
Metastatic Spread ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Cerebellar Metastasis ◽  
Fine Print

✓ A 31-year-old woman developed a cerebellar metastasis from an invasive prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma while undergoing treatment with bromocriptine. The metastatic tumor was totally excised. Metastatic spread of pituitary tumors within the central nervous system is reviewed briefly.

Multiple dural metastases from a pituitary adenoma

1994 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 624-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. S. Taylor ◽  
David Uttley ◽  
P. R. Wilkins
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Pituitary Adenoma ◽  
Pituitary Tumors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Original Tumor ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Dural Metastases ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Only 12 cases of pituitary tumors that metastasized within the central nervous system have been reported. A further case is presented in which the histology of the multiple dural metastases remained identical to that of the original tumor, a pituitary adenoma. The authors discuss management of these rare lesions that appear histologically benign.

Serum prolactin in patients with hypothalamus and pituitary disorders

1981 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Olov Lundberg ◽  
Per Olof Osterman ◽  
Leif Wide
Keyword(s):  
Pituitary Adenoma ◽  
Pituitary Adenomas ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
High Serum ◽  
Serum Prolactin ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sellar Tumor ◽  
Very High ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Serum prolactin concentrations were studied in 115 patients with anatomically defined disorders in the hypothalamo-pituitary region. Fifty of the patients had expansively growing pituitary adenomas; in 17 of them (13 females and four males) the prolactin values were slightly raised (15 to 100 µg/liter), and in 13 (11 females and two males) they were over 100 µg/liter. The frequency of elevated prolactin values was higher for females than for males. Fifteen patients with invasively growing pituitary adenomas had very high serum prolactin levels (range 1230 to 31,500 µg/liter, geometric mean 3150 µg/liter). In a single case of malignant pituitary adenoma, the serum prolactin was at the lower level of detection. Of 49 further patients with suprasellar meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas, or other expansive or destructive lesions of the hypothalamus and sellar region, 15 had slightly raised prolactin values (maximum 114 µg/liter). Eight of these 49 patients had sellar destruction, with a roentgenological picture similar to that in patients with invasive pituitary adenomas. Among these eight patients, the maximum prolactin value was 67 µg/liter. It is concluded that moderately raised serum prolactin values (up to 100 µg/liter) in a patient with a sellar tumor does not prove that the tumor is a prolactinoma. A serum prolactin value of 100 to 1000 µg/liter strongly indicates a prolactin-producing tumor. In a patient with sellar destruction, a serum prolactin value of over 1000 µg/liter is proof that the destruction is caused by an invasive pituitary adenoma.

Implications of very high serum prolactin levels associated with pituitary tumors

1980 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Shucart
Keyword(s):  
Cavernous Sinus ◽  
Tumor Size ◽  
Pituitary Tumors ◽  
High Serum ◽  
Serum Prolactin ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Invasive Tumor ◽  
Very High ◽  
Suprasellar Extension ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Five patients with pituitary tumors associated with unusually high serum prolactin levels are presented. Tumor size and the presence of suprasellar extension were variable, but the finding common to all five cases was invasion of the cavernous sinus. It is proposed that very high serum prolactin levels suggest an invasive tumor, perhaps, specifically, invasion into a cavernous sinus. The surgical significance of this proposition is discussed.

Pituitary adenoma producing growth hormone and adrenocorticotropin: a histological, immunocytochemical, electron microscopic, and in situ hybridization study

1998 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 1111-1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalman Kovacs ◽  
Eva Horvath ◽  
Lucia Stefaneanu ◽  
Juan Bilbao ◽  
William Singer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
In Situ Hybridization ◽  
Pituitary Adenoma ◽  
Immunoelectron Microscopy ◽  
Secretory Granules ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Separate Cell ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The authors report on the morphological features of a pituitary adenoma that produced growth hormone (GH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This hormone combination produced by a single adenoma is extremely rare; a review of the available literature showed that only one previous case has been published. The tumor, which was removed from a 62-year-old man with acromegaly, was studied by histological and immunocytochemical analyses, transmission electron microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy, and in situ hybridization. When the authors used light microscopy, the tumor appeared to be a bimorphous mixed pituitary adenoma composed of two separate cell types: one cell population synthesized GH and the other ACTH. The cytogenesis of pituitary adenomas that produce more than one hormone is obscure. It may be that two separate cells—one somatotroph and one corticotroph—transformed into neoplastic cells, or that the adenoma arose in a common stem cell that differentiated into two separate cell types. In this case immunoelectron microscopy conclusively demonstrated ACTH in the secretory granules of several somatotrophs. This was associated with a change in the morphological characteristics of secretory granules. Thus it is possible that the tumor was originally a somatotropic adenoma that began to produce ACTH as a result of mutations that occurred during tumor progression.

Intrasellar epidermoid cyst

1983 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Boggan ◽  
Richard L. Davis ◽  
Greg Zorman ◽  
Charles B. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Pituitary Adenoma ◽  
Epidermoid Cyst ◽  
Cystic Lesions ◽  
Sellar Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The authors report the uncomplicated removal of an intrasellar epidermoid cyst that on presentation mimicked a pituitary adenoma. Current controversies regarding the differentiation of this cyst from other cystic lesions of the sellar region are reviewed.

Automobile accidents caused by unsuspected neurological disease

1973 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 581-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Keane
Keyword(s):  
Neurological Disease ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Artery Aneurysm ◽  
The Other ◽  
Automobile Accidents ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cerebral Trauma ◽  
Left Posterior ◽  
Posterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Two patients admitted as cerebral trauma cases following single-car automobile accidents were found to have previously-unsuspected, surgically-treatable neurological diseases that undoubtedly caused the accidents. A left posterior communicating artery aneurysm was clipped in one patient and a right frontal lobe abscess aspirated in the other, with excellent results in both patients.

Thyrotrophin-producing pituitary adenomas

1982 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 515-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Hill ◽  
James M. Falko ◽  
Charles B. Wilson ◽  
William E. Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Hormone ◽  
Pituitary Adenomas ◽  
Preoperative Diagnosis ◽  
Pituitary Tumors ◽  
Recurrent Tumor ◽  
Hormone Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aggressive Tumor ◽  
Tsh Levels ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Hyperthyroidism due to thyrotrophin (TSH)-secreting pituitary tumors is rare. Four cases are described, with the features that allow preoperative diagnosis. In all the patients, thyroid hormone production was consistently elevated despite antithyroid therapy, and TSH levels were inappropriately elevated. All patients were treated with both surgery and irradiation. Each patient had recurrent tumor with suprasellar, intrasphenoidal, or intraorbital spread. The combination of a recurrent, aggressive tumor complicated by thyrotoxicosis makes this a complex and difficult surgical problem.

Pituitary enlargement mimicking pituitary tumor

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa T. Bilaniuk ◽  
Thomas Moshang ◽  
Jose Cara ◽  
Martin Z. Weingarten ◽  
Leslie N. Sutton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pituitary Gland ◽  
Pituitary Tumor ◽  
Primary Hypothyroidism ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Presenting Symptoms ◽  
Pituitary Enlargement ◽  
Work Up ◽  
Fine Print ◽  
Gland Enlargement

✓ Primary hypothyroidism can result in reactive enlargement of the pituitary gland which is indistinguishable from primary pituitary lesions on computerized tomography (CT) scans. The presenting symptoms may be due to pituitary gland enlargement, as in two of the three cases reported here. Therefore, the diagnosis of pituitary hypertrophy or hyperplasia secondary to hypothyroidism must be based on the endocrinological work-up. Following treatment of primary hypothyroidism, the diminution in size of the pituitary gland can be demonstrated with CT.

Predictive value of serum prolactin levels measured immediately after transsphenoidal surgery

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun P. Amar ◽  
William T. Couldwell ◽  
Joseph C. T. Chen ◽  
Martin H. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Prolactin Level ◽  
Serum Prolactin ◽  
Surgical Removal ◽  
Consecutive Series ◽  
Cure Rate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Fine Print ◽  
Group 1

Object. Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas may be managed by surgery, medication, radiotherapy, or observation. The authors reviewed a consecutive series of patients who were followed for at least 5 years after surgery to assess the prognostic significance of preoperative factors (tumor size and prolactin level) and an immediate postoperative factor (prolactin level obtained the morning after surgery) on long-term hormonal outcome, thereby clarifying the indications for surgical removal of tumor, the definition of successful treatment outcomes, and the nature of “recurrent” tumors. Methods. Between 1979 and 1991, 241 patients with prolactinomas underwent transsphenoidal resection. Nineteen patients were lost to follow-up review, whereas the remaining 222 patients underwent measurement of their prolactin levels on postoperative Day 1 (POD 1), at 6 and 12 weeks, and every 6 months thereafter for a minimum of 5 years. On POD 1, prolactin levels in 133 patients (Group 1) were lower than 10 ng/ml, in 43 patients (Group 2) between 10 and 20 ng/ml, and in 46 patients (Group 3) higher than 20 ng/ml. At 6 and 12 weeks, normal prolactin levels (≤ 20 ng/ml) were measured in 132 (99%) of the 133 patients in Group 1 but only in 32 (74%) of the 43 patients in Group 2. By 5 years postoperatively, normal levels of prolactin were still measured in 130 patients (98%) in Group 1 compared with only five patients (12%) in Group 2. No patient with a prolactin level lower than 3 ng/ml on POD 1 was found to have an elevated hormone level at 5 years. The likelihood of a long-term chemical cure was greater for patients with microadenomas (91% cure rate) than for those with macroadenomas (33%). Preoperative prolactin levels also correlated with hormonal outcome. Conclusions. Prolactin levels lower than 10 ng/ml on POD 1 predict a long-term chemical cure in patients with microadenomas (100% cure rate) and those with macroadenomas (93% cure rate). In contrast, a cure is not likely to be obtained in patients with normal levels ranging between 10 and 20 ng/ml on POD 1 if they harbor macroadenomas (0% cure rate). A recurrence reported several years after surgery probably represents the presence of persistent tumor that was not originally removed. If the initial operation was performed by an experienced surgeon, however, reoperation is not likely to yield a chemical cure.

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