title: Amaurosis fugax due to pituitary tumor.
abstract: Amaurosis fugax in a younger person in whom premature atherosclerotic disease and cardiac emboli have been eliminated is usually benign. We describe a 25-year-old man with recurrent painless left monocular visual loss lasting from 5 to 45 minutes. Initial physical examination, carotid ultrasound, and electrocardiogram were normal. Goldmann visual field testing demonstrated a small, left paracentral defect. Neuroimaging studies were initially declined for economic reasons, but later a magnetic resonance image disclosed a large pituitary tumor displacing the left optic nerve and chiasm. The tumor was removed via a transphenoidal approach, and the episodic visual symptoms disappeared. We stress that amaurosis fugax in young patients is not necessarily benign. A specific etiology should be diligently sought, particularly when ocular signs are present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Dirr
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Troost
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Elster
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fiedler
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009900:Optic Nerve; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012658:Sella Turcica; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media