title: Lymphocytic hypophysitis with a long latent period before development of a pituitary mass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymphocytic hypophysitis is an autoimmune condition that commonly presents in women of childbearing age as hypopituitarism and a sellar mass.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 66-year-old woman presented with anterior pituitary dysfunction. Computed tomography imaging revealed a small hypodensity that was not felt to be the cause of the pituitary dysfunction. Eight years later, her vision rapidly deteriorated and MRI showed a pituitary mass lesion causing optic chiasm compression. Histological examination of the partially resected gland revealed evidence of lymphocytic hypophysitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our patient is an example of the variable presentation and course of lymphocytic hypophysitis. Such a long latent period between the initial presentation of adenohypophysial hypofunction and optic chiasm compression due to an enlarging pituitary mass has not been reported.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Rene W G
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Teik Chye
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: Brien
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benoit
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zackon
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Telner
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008214:Lymphocytes; D009897:Optic Chiasm / Q000473:pathology; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors