Toshihiro Ogiwara1, Alhusain Nagm2,3, Yasunaga Yamamoto2, Takatoshi Hasegawa2, Akihiro Nishikawa2, Kazuhiro Hongo2. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan. togiwara@shinshu-u.ac.jp. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan. 3. Department of Neurosurgery, Al-Azhar University Faculty of Medicine-Nasr city, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Radiographic detection of calcification in pituitary adenoma is relatively rare, and the clinical characteristics of pituitary adenoma with calcification remain unclear. Herein, the clinical characteristics of pituitary adenoma with radiological calcification were investigated. METHODS: A total of 160 patients who underwent surgical resection of pituitary adenomas between February 2004 and December 2016 were reviewed. Eighty-one patients had hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas, and 79 patients had nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma. Among these 160 patients, cases with radiological calcifications on preoperative neuroimaging were included in this study, and clinical characteristics with intraoperative findings were analyzed, retrospectively. RESULTS: Pituitary adenoma with calcification on preoperative neuroimaging was observed in only nine cases (5.6%). The study population consisted of these nine patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (n = 5), mixed growth hormone and prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas (n = 3), and a prolactinoma (n = 1). In 89% of cases (n = 8), calcified pituitary adenoma was soft enough for suction despite the presence of a granular gritty texture intraoperatively. Besides, in a single patient (11%), evidence of hard thick capsular calcification was seen surrounding a soft tumor component; however, it did not interfere with adequate removal of the soft part, and tumor resection was possible in all cases without any complications. CONCLUSIONS: Pituitary adenoma presenting with calcification is relatively rare, but should be kept in mind to avoid making a wrong preoperative diagnosis. As not all pituitary adenomas with calcification are hard tumors, preoperative radiological calcification should not affect decision-making regarding surgical indications.
BACKGROUND: Radiographic detection of calcification in pituitary adenoma is relatively rare, and the clinical characteristics of pituitary adenoma with calcification remain unclear. Herein, the clinical characteristics of pituitary adenoma with radiological calcification were investigated. METHODS: A total of 160 patients who underwent surgical resection of pituitary adenomas between February 2004 and December 2016 were reviewed. Eighty-one patients had hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas, and 79 patients had nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma. Among these 160 patients, cases with radiological calcifications on preoperative neuroimaging were included in this study, and clinical characteristics with intraoperative findings were analyzed, retrospectively. RESULTS:Pituitary adenoma with calcification on preoperative neuroimaging was observed in only nine cases (5.6%). The study population consisted of these nine patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (n = 5), mixed growth hormone and prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas (n = 3), and a prolactinoma (n = 1). In 89% of cases (n = 8), calcified pituitary adenoma was soft enough for suction despite the presence of a granular gritty texture intraoperatively. Besides, in a single patient (11%), evidence of hard thick capsular calcification was seen surrounding a soft tumor component; however, it did not interfere with adequate removal of the soft part, and tumor resection was possible in all cases without any complications. CONCLUSIONS:Pituitary adenoma presenting with calcification is relatively rare, but should be kept in mind to avoid making a wrong preoperative diagnosis. As not all pituitary adenomas with calcification are hard tumors, preoperative radiological calcification should not affect decision-making regarding surgical indications.
Entities:
Keywords:
Calcification; Pituitary adenoma; Surgical strategy; Transsphenoidal surgery
Authors: Miguel Vega-Arroyo; Martha Lilia Tena-Suck; Celia Teresa de Jesús Álvarez-Gamiño; Citlaltepetl Salinas-Lara; Juan Luis Gómez-Amador Journal: Int J Surg Case Rep Date: 2018-10-23