title: Seventeen-year-old adolescent with pituitary abscess.
abstract: Pituitary abscess is a rare but potentially life-threatening infectious process. Diagnosis is challenging as symptoms are non-specific and signs of infection may be absent. We report the case of a previously healthy 17-year-old male who presented with worsening headaches, polyuria, polydipsia and no clinical signs of infection. On evaluation, he was found to have hypopituitarism with diabetes insipidus, hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency. An imaging study revealed a pituitary mass. He underwent transsphenoidal biopsy to rule out tumor. The abscess was drained transsphenoidally and he was treated with parental antibiotics. Magnetic resonance imaging one year later revealed a normal pituitary without any evidence of abscess or mass. He continues to require thyroid, adrenal and anti-diuretic hormone replacements. As with any pituitary lesion, prompt complete hypothalamic pituitary evaluation is essential to avoid potentially life-threatening consequences.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emory Children's Center, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. milin@emory.edu
authors.forename: Michelle I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Anna J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Janss
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wrubel
authors.forename: Lillian R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Meacham
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003919:Diabetes Insipidus / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D004322:Drainage; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*