Isolated double pituitary adenomas: A silent corticotroph adenoma and a microprolactinoma

Shira Eytan; Ki-Yoon Kim; David Bleich; Maya Raghuwanshi; Jean Anderson Eloy; James K Liu

doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2015.03.040

Isolated double pituitary adenomas: A silent corticotroph adenoma and a microprolactinoma

J Clin Neurosci. 2015 Oct;22(10):1676-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.03.040. Epub 2015 Jun 8.

Authors

Shira Eytan¹, Ki-Yoon Kim¹, David Bleich¹, Maya Raghuwanshi¹, Jean Anderson Eloy², James K Liu³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
² Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Suite 8100, 90 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA; Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
³ Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Suite 8100, 90 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA; Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA. Electronic address: james.liu.md@rutgers.edu.

PMID: 26067545
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.03.040

Abstract

We report a 27-year-old woman with amenorrhea and galactorrhea with mildly elevated serum prolactin levels. Her MRI demonstrated a cystic macroadenoma in the left aspect of the sella and a small microadenoma in the right aspect of the sella. Endoscopic transsphenoidal resection of the tumors revealed two histologically distinct tumors. The left tumor was consistent with a silent corticotroph macroadenoma and the right tumor was a prolactin producing microadenoma. Isolated double pituitary adenomas that are clearly separated by normal pituitary gland tissue are extremely rare. The incidence is approximately 0.37-2.6%. The coexistence of double adenomas can pose diagnostic and management challenges for the pituitary neuroendocrine team.

Keywords: Bilateral; Double pituitary adenomas; Macroadenoma; Microadenoma; Prolactinoma; Transsphenoidal surgery.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma / complications
ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma / diagnosis*
ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma / surgery
Adenoma / complications
Adenoma / diagnosis*
Adenoma / surgery
Adult
Female
Humans
Pituitary Neoplasms / complications
Pituitary Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Pituitary Neoplasms / surgery
Pregnancy
Prolactinoma / complications
Prolactinoma / diagnosis*
Prolactinoma / surgery