title: Evaluation of the pituitary. Patients with suspected prolactin-producing tumors.
abstract: We have reviewed our experience in the radiographic and ophthalmologic evaluation of 1001 patients with symptoms suggesting the presence of a pituitary, prolactin-secreting adenoma. Twenty-seven patients had abnormal or suspicious radiographic examination of the sella turcica. Twenty-two of those had hyperprolactinemia. In only one instance was an abnormality noted on polytomography that was not seen on a conventional four-view study of the skull. Based on these findings, a four-view plain conventional radiographic assessment of the skull suffices as a screening procedure in patients with amenorrhea, galactorrhea, or both. Thin section tomography should be reserved to more thoroughly evaluate those patients with elevated serum prolactin concentrations and/or abnormal conventional radiographs. We found visual field testing to be of little value as an initial screening procedure in these patients.
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005687:Galactorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray; D014787:Vision Tests; D014794:Visual Fields
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin