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Pituitary tumor
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Pituitary tumor

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Contributors: Andrea Wasilewski MD, Richard L. Barbano MD, PhD
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Synopsis

Pituitary tumor : Seizures, Headache, Diplopia, Gaze paralysis, Rhinorrhea, Hyperprolactinemia
A pituitary tumor is an abnormal mass in the pituitary gland (the primary hormone-producing gland located at the base of the brain, directly above the soft palate). Benign pituitary adenomas are the most common pituitary tumor. Microadenomas are less than 1 cm, and macroadenomas are larger than 1 cm. Macroadenomas cause more severe findings since they increase pressure on the surrounding areas, particularly on the optic nerve. Malignant pituitary carcinomas rarely develop. Pituitary germinomas are rare; affected males may have gynecomastia. Craniopharyngiomas arise from the remnants of Rathke pouch and occur more commonly in children and young adults. Rathke pouch may develop into benign cysts, which may be symptomatic. Metastatic tumors to the pituitary gland are rare but have been reported.

Endocrine disorders such as hyperprolactinemia commonly occur, producing symptoms such as galactorrhea, menstrual changes, infertility, and sexual dysfunction. Other common presenting symptoms include headaches and visual changes (bitemporal visual field deficit, blurry vision, and/or diplopia). Many affected patients remain asymptomatic, and tumors are found on imaging obtained for other reasons.

A rare complication of untreated pituitary adenomas is pituitary apoplexy.

Codes

ICD10CM:
D35.2 – Benign neoplasm of pituitary gland

SNOMEDCT:
127024001 – Neoplasm of pituitary gland

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Diagnostic Pearls

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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls

Best Tests

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Management Pearls

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Therapy

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Drug Reaction Data

Below is a list of drugs with literature evidence indicating an adverse association with this diagnosis. The list is continually updated through ongoing research and new medication approvals. Click on Citations to sort by number of citations or click on Medication to sort the medications alphabetically.

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References

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Last Reviewed:11/04/2018
Last Updated:01/10/2023
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Pituitary tumor
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A medical illustration showing key findings of Pituitary tumor : Seizures, Headache, Diplopia, Gaze paralysis, Rhinorrhea, Hyperprolactinemia
Copyright © 2023 VisualDx®. All rights reserved.