Pituitary adenomas, prolactinoma, and empty sella Flashcards
pituitary disorders
-hypothalamic-pituitary lesions
-pituitary adenoma/tumors
-prolactinoma
-empty sella syndrome
hypothalamic-pituitary lesions
-Patients present with
-Combination of symptoms or signs of a mass lesion:
-Headaches
-Visual field defects
-Bitemporal hemianopia-lateral vision loss -> due to size of tumor
-Hemifield slide phenomenon [images drifting apart]
-Altered appetite
-Thirst
-Imaging evidence of a mass lesion as an incidental finding
-Hypersecretion or
-Hyposecretion of one or more pituitary hormones (compression)
pituitary or hypothalamic tumor
-MC cause of hypopituitary or hyperpituitary secretion is pituitary or hypothalamic tumor
-Pituitary tumor tends to produce an enlarged sella turcica (erodes the bone)
-Alternatively, an enlarged sella may represent the empty sella syndrome (increase CSF -> makes it look empty but its not)- usually asymptomatic
pituitary adenomas
-Benign neoplasms of the anterior pituitary
-Symptoms
-Due to excess secretion of pituitary hormones
-Dysfunction in the compressed areas of the pituitary
-Due to mass effect of the tumor impinging on local structures
pituitary adenomas: classification
-Macroadenoma - >10mm - either increased hormones or enlarged and not functioning
-Microadenoma - <10mm
-Secretory vs. nonfunctional
-Secretory tumors:
-Prolactin-secreting adenomas
-GH secreting adenomas
-Corticotrophin-secreting adenomas
-Thyrotropin-secreting adenomas
pituitary adenomas: nonfunctional adenomas OR non-secreting adenomas
-especially Gonadotropin-secreting*– little or no clinical effect
-Or may not secrete any detectable hormone
-Generally present as macroadenomas with headache, visual disturbances, or hypopituitarism
-Some adenomas are capable of secreting both prolactin and GH
-Therapy for pituitary adenomas:
Transphenoidal surgery
Pituitary radiation
Pharmacotherapy
pituitary adenomas: corticotropin secreting pituitary adenoma
-Round face, truncal obesity, and a dorsocervical fat pad (buffalo hump)
-Hirsutism, acne, striae, thin skin, bruising
-Menstrual disorders
-Hypertension and hyperglycemia
pituitary adenomas: thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma
-Produces thyrotoxicosis
-Goiter may be present
-Visual impairment can occur
pituitary adenomas: GH secreting pituitary adenoma
-Mostly macroadenomas
-May present with visual field deficits
-Gigantism or acromegaly
-Hypertension
-Hyperglycemia
-Osteoarthritis
-Signs of hypopituitarism ±
adenoma symptoms
-From macroadenomas -usually due to mass effect
-Headache and visual field deficits
-From microadenomas - usually due to effects of aberrant hormone levels
-Patient may report infertility, impotence, or dyspareunia (painful intercourse due to decreased vaginal secretions) (FSH, LH)
-Hypopituitarism and hypogonadism due to destruction of pituitary gland
-Pathologic fractures due to osteoporosis
signs macroadenomas
-examine for signs of hypopituitarism:
-Pallor
-Hypotension
-Visual field defects
-Prolactin-secreting tumors:
-Galactorrhea
-Hypogonadism
-Features of osteoporosis
signs of all the tumors
-GH-secreting tumors: Signs of acromegaly
-Thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma:
-Thyrotoxicosis
-Goiter
-Visual impairment
-Corticotropin -secreting pituitary adenoma:
-Truncal obesity
-Round face
-Dorsocervical fat pad (buffalo hump)
-Hirsutism
-Acne
-Menstrual disorders
-Hypertension
-Striae
-Bruising
-Thin skin
adenoma DX
-galactorrhea
-suppress ovulation
-> first thing you think is pregnancy then tumor
-Clinical presentation must be consistent with a syndrome caused by a pituitary tumor
-Blood tests and MRI
-Pregnancy test - r/o
treatment of goals of adenomas
-eliminate- eliminate effects due to the mass of tumor
-reduce- reduce elevated pituitary hormone levels to normal
-ameliorate (improve)- ameliorate end organ effects of elevated pituitary hormone levels
-avoid- avoid damage to remaining normal hypothalamic or pituitary functinon
-minimize- minimize other potential adverse effects of therapy
other pituitary tumors: MEN syndromes
-Syndromes of MEN
-autosomal dominant traits
-cause a predisposition to the development of tumors of 2 or more different endocrine glands
-Genetic testing should be done
-MEN 1: tumors of the parathyroid glands, pancreas and pituitary,
-MEN 2A : medullary thyroid cancers, pheochromocytoma, hyperparathyroidism -> RET mutation