title: Combined granulomatous and lymphocytic hypophysitis presenting as pituitary incidentaloma in a middle-aged woman.
abstract: We report a case of 41-year-old lady who presented with chronic headache of 6-month duration and a sellar mass with a suprasellar extension on imaging, which was interpreted as pituitary macroadenoma. She had normal pituitary function and visual perimetry. On clinical examination and imaging it was provisionally diagnosed as pituitary incidentaloma due to hypophysitis and she was advised steroid therapy, but underwent transnasal resection of the tumor against suggestion. Histopathological examination revealed combined granulomatous and lymphocytic hypophysitis most likely of autoimmune in origin. Definitive diagnosis of hypophysitis can be made only on histopathological examination. As most cases of autoimmune hypophysitis are surgically treated, patients should be assessed on individual basis for requirement of steroids in postoperative period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi Cantt, India.
authors.forename: Abhay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gundgurthi
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kharb
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Brar
authors.forename: Reena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bharwaj
authors.forename: Srishti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pathak
keywords: Granulomatous hypophysitis; incidentaloma; lymphocytic hypophysitis