title: Pituitary incidentalomas: a single-centre experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pituitary incidentalomas (PIs) are diagnosed in about 10% of the patients undergoing radiological investigation for non-pituitary disorders. The aim of this study was to describe the morphological and hormonal characteristics of PIs in a cohort of patients, followed up in a single centre from 1982-2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of patients with PIs was carried out. All patients underwent basal and dynamic evaluation of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis. Mass size was assessed at yearly intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-one patients (38 men/23 women, aged 53±2 years) were studied. The mean follow-up time was 48±8 months, and mean size of PIs was 20±2 mm. Twelve PIs (20%) were microadenomas, 48 (78%) were macroadenomas and one (2%) was a Rathke's cyst. The most common reasons that led to their discovery were headaches, dizziness, syncope, stroke and head injury. Forty-seven of the 61 PIs (77%) were non-functioning, 11 (18%) prolactinomas, and two (3%) GH-secreting adenomas. Hypopituitarism was present in 12% at diagnosis. Forty-eight per cent of the patients were submitted to surgery with conventional radiotherapy in 8%. Relapse in size was observed in 48% of the surgically treated patients. Of the PIs followed conservatively, 78% remained stable, 11% showed decrease and 11% increase in size during follow up. Hypopituitarism rose to 57% postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Majority of PIs are non-functioning adenomas that remain stable in size. Relapse in size and hypopituitarism postoperatively are common. PIs, for which conservative management was initially considered appropriate, did not progress in size.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Clinic, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. anagnwstis.pan@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anagnostis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Adamidou
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Polyzos
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Efstathiadou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panagiotou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kita
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000209:etiology; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult