Incidentalomas or Non-Incidentalomas: What is the Relevance of Pituitary Adenomas in the Adult?

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Published: 2023-06-29
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51987/revhospitalbaires.v43i2.250
Keywords:
pituitary adenoma, pituitary tumor, pituitary incidentaloma, epidemiology, incidence, prevalence, prolactinoma, non-functioning pituitary adenoma, acromegaly, Cushing's disease

Main Article Content

Patricia Fainstein-Day
Servicio de Endocrinología, Metabolismo y Medicina Nuclear. Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

Introduction: from the anatomical point of view, pituitary adenomas (HA) are observed in 10% of the population. They are mostly small and non-functioning. Most incidentalomas discovered in high-resolution imaging studies ordered in frequent clinical situations, such as head trauma, stroke and dementia, correspond to indolent HA. We wonder what is the clinical relevance of pituitary adenomas.


Development: clinically relevant HAs are mostly benign tumors that lead, in different degrees, to an increased morbidity and/or mortality in patients by mechanisms related to hormone hypersecretion, hormone insufficiency and/or occupying mass effects. The prevalence of clinically relevant HA is higher from what was assumed 20 years ago. It affects approximately 1/1000 of the population. The most prevalent are prolactinomas and non-functioning adenomas.  Acromegaly, Cushing's disease and aggressive tumors make for complex patients with increased morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and multimodal treatment provide a reasonable improvement in survival. Epidemiological study of clinically relevant HAs is important for estimating the impact on health systems.


Conclusions: Higher-resolution imaging studies will continue to highlight pituitary incidentalomas. Careful evaluation of patients will identify clinically relevant HAs.

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Article Details

Issue

Vol. 43 No. 2 (2023): Revista del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires

Section

Review
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

1.
Fainstein-Day P. Incidentalomas or Non-Incidentalomas: What is the Relevance of Pituitary Adenomas in the Adult?. Rev Hosp Ital B.Aires [Internet]. 2023 Jun. 29 [cited 2026 May 17];43(2). Available from: https://ojs.hospitalitaliano.org.ar/index.php/revistahi/article/view/250

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