Abstract
We report the case of a pituitary mass that rapidly reduced after start of steroid therapy. The patient, a 25-year-old woman, had complained of headaches and visual disorders that began during the 8th month of pregnancy : the symptoms worsened soon after giving birthy. Ophthalmological examinations revealed bitemporal hemianopsia with bilateral impaired visual acuity. Further, CT and MRI revealed a symmetric pituitary mass with a suprasellar extension. Endocrinological tests disclosed hypopituitarism consisting of a low PRL, TSH, ACTH, LH, and FSH response to hormone stimulation. Immunologically, an antinuclear antibody was also detected. These findings lead to a diagnosis of lymphocytic adenohypophysitis and steroid therapy (prednisolone, 60 mg/day) was initiated. Two days after the start of therapy her visual disturbances began to improve and returned to normol 2 weeks later. CT and MRI also confirmed that the pituitary mass had markedly reduced in size 2 weeks after the start of steroid therapy. These findings suggest that steroid therapy may be effective for reducing masses associated with lymphocytic adenohypophysitis.
