pituitary adenoma

• benign, slow-growing
• arises from adenohypophysis (anterior lobe)
• 5-18% of all intracranial neoplasms

• enlargement of sella & sloping of the sella floor
• erosion of the anterior and posterior clinoid
• erosion of the dorsum sellae
• calcified in <10%
• may present as a mass in the nasopharynx

functioning microadenoma

• <10 mm, 20-30% of pituitary adenomas
• types: prolactinoma, corticotrophic adenoma
  • somatotrophic adenoma
• nonfunctioning macroadenoma
• >10 mm, 70-80% of pituitary adenomas

© 2002, C.E. Kahn, Jr.
2002-04-18