Lymphocytic hypophysitis with a long latent period before development of a pituitary mass.
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.
Wong
Rene W G
RW
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Canada.
Ooi
Teik Chye
TC
Benoit
Brien
B
Zackon
David
D
Jansen
Gerard
G
Telner
Adam
A
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