Somatotroph and corticotroph pituitary adenoma (double adenoma) in a cat with diabetes mellitus and hyperadrenocorticism.
A 9-year-old castrated male European shorthair cat with insulin-resistant diabetes was referred with the preliminary diagnosis of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism, based on measurements of urinary corticoids. Further studies revealed not only resistance of plasma concentrations of cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) to suppression by a low dose of dexamethasone, but also elevated plasma concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Pituitary imaging with dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated an enlarged pituitary gland and an adenoma. The cat underwent trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomy after which the insulin resistance disappeared. On histopathological and immunocytochemical examination of the surgical specimen a double adenoma was found, consisting of a corticotroph adenoma and a somatotroph adenoma separated by unaffected pituitary tissue.
Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 8, P. O. Box 80.154, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
B P
BP
Meij
R H
RH
van der Vlugt-Meijer
T S G A M
TS
van den Ingh
A
A
Rijnberk
D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002415:Cats; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000097:blood
D000521:alpha-MSH; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone