Calcified pituitary adenoma associated with severe hyperprolactinemia. Case report

Calcified Pituitary Adenoma Mimicking Craniopharyngioma: A Case Report

A 60-year-old woman presented with a history of a previously diagnosed sellar mass and a recent onset of severe headache, vision loss, and dizziness. The patient was found to have a large mass with curvilinear calcification on imaging. Histopathology confirmed the presence of a pituitary adenoma with abnormal acini, consistent with adenoma, and moderate amounts of granular eosinophilic cytoplasm. A detailed analysis of the patterns of calcification and the radiological morphology is crucial to distinguishing between pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma. Recognition of these patterns can aid in distinguishing between these conditions, providing a more accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment plan.

Pituitary stone resulting in visual dysfunction and spontaneous rhinorrhea in nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Calcifications in pituitary adenomas are rare, being found in only 5.4%–25% of reported cases. These are divided into eggshell-like calcifications around the tumor and nodular calcifications at the center of the tumor, the latter of which are called “pituitary stones” (PSs).

OBSERVATIONS

The authors report the case of a 60-year-old male with a nonfunctional pituitary adenoma with PSs and asymptomatic ventricular dilatation who presented with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea and rapid visual aggravation without an increase in tumor size over the course of 4 years. After endoscopic transnasal surgery, his visual acuity immediately improved temporarily. It was believed that the increased intracranial pressure due to secondary hydrocephalus resulted in visual aggravation; thus, a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt was created. After creation of the VP shunt, the patient’s visual acuity improved gradually and completely. Histological findings showed that adenoma cells were observed among the lamellar bone trabeculae. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first report of osteoid metaplasia–type PSs in nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.

LESSONS

PSs formed near the sellar floor and caused spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea due to direct mechanical stress on the dura mater and optic nerves, which may have caused meningitis and secondary hydrocephalus that resulted in visual impairment independent of tumor size.

Calcified Prolactinoma of the Pituitary Gland: Illustrative Case Reports Highlighting Medical versus Surgical Intervention

The presence of calcification is uncommon in pituitary adenomas, and often lends support to other diagnoses including craniopharyngioma. The majority of calcified pituitary adenomas are prolactin-secreting tumors. We report two patients with calcified macroprolactinomas, one that was treated medically with a biochemical response and partial tumor response, and one that was treated successfully via an endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach. Suspected calcified prolactinomas can be initially managed medically as per standard treatment for typical prolactinomas; however, the presence of diffuse calcification may hinder tumor shrinkage. Tumors that are refractory to medical treatment can be safely managed with surgery.

Intensity of prolactinoma on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: towards another gender difference

INTRODUCTION

Clinical presentations of prolactinomas are quite different between genders. In comparison with women's prolactinoma, those in men showed predominance of large tumors with high prolactin (PRL) levels. This preponderance could be attributed to a greater proliferative potential of the tumors. Differences in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal at diagnosis have not been yet clearly evaluated.

METHODS

We conduct a retrospective study comparing MRI signal intensity (SI) on T2-weighted images (T2-WI) between 41 men and 41 women to investigate whether or not men prolactinoma present specific features.

RESULTS

In addition to the size of the adenoma and PRL levels (P < 0001), prolactinomas in men also exhibit differences from those in women in signal on T2-WI on MRI (P < 0001). Women's prolactinomas are mostly of high SI on T2-WI while men's prolactinomas exhibit a more heterogeneous pattern of SI on T2-WI. Prolactinomas presenting with low SI on T2-WI are almost exclusively encountered in men.

CONCLUSIONS

Presence of T2-WI hypointensities in pituitary adenoma can be predictive of a different subtype of prolactinoma almost encountered in men and possibly translate the presence of spherical amyloid deposits, in agreement with the literature.

Dense calcification in a GH-secreting pituitary macroadenoma

A 30-year-old female presented with a history of secondary amenorrhoea, acromegalic features and progressive visual deterioration. She had elevated serum IGF1 levels and unsuppressed GH levels after an oral glucose tolerance test. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a heterogeneously enhancing space-occupying lesion with atypical extensive calcification within the sellar and suprasellar areas. Owing to the extent of calcification, the tumour was a surgical challenge. Postoperatively, there was clinical, radiological and biochemical evidence of residual disease, which required treatment with a somatostatin analogue and radiotherapy. Mutational analysis of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene was negative. This case confirms the relatively rare occurrence of calcification within a pituitary macroadenoma and its associated management problems. The presentation, biochemical, radiological and pathological findings are discussed in the context of the relevant literature.

Surgical management of giant pituitary adenomas

During the past 25 years, 77 giant pituitary adenomas have been treated surgically, including suprasellar extensions of type C in 66 cases and of type D in 11 cases. Non-secreting adenomas were present in 53 and secreting adenomas in 24 cases. All patients except 3 presented with significant visual field defects; including bitemporal hemianopia, superior quadranopia or unilateral temporal hemianopia, contralateral blindness in 73% of the cases, and one case with sudden bilateral blindness due to acute pituitary apoplexy. A single transsphenoidal procedure was carried out in 74% of the patients while 11 patients (7%) required re-operations for recurrent or residual tumor. Only 3 patients required a subsequent transcranial procedure. Complications included 1 CSF-leak, 1 empty-sella syndrome and 4 fatal post-operative hematomas. We prefer the transsphenoidal route even in very large or giant pituitary adenomas, since it allows rapid and adequate decompression of the optic nerves and chiasm, avoids major pituitary insufficiency in 60% of the cases and is associated with low morbidity-mortality rates.