title: Pituitary Stone or Calcified Pituitary Tumor? Three Cases and Literature Review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pituitary stone or pituitary calculus is a scientific enigma characterized by a large calcification in the pituitary sella. It can be discovered incidentally or in a patient with endocrine and/or neurological problems. Its mechanism is not understood. In this article, we described three patients harboring a large pituitary calcification.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first case was observed in a 27-year-old woman who consulted for secondary amenorrhea. The second case concerned a woman who consulted for infertility, and the third one was observed in an 11-year and nine-month-old girl who was sent to our department for short stature. Clinical examination was normal in both adults. The pediatric case had dwarfism with lack of pubertal development. Hormonal assessment showed hyperprolactinemia in both women and thyrotroph and somatotroph deficits in the child. Radiologic exploration discovered pituitary calcifications measuring 10, 11, and 45 mm without any cystic or solid mass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiological findings pleaded for a pituitary stone, but calcified adenomas in women, and calcified craniopharyngioma in the pediatric case could not be excluded, as our three patients were not operated on.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Bab El Oued Teaching Hospital, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Farida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chentli
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Bab El Oued Teaching Hospital, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safer-Tabi
keywords: Heterotopic Ossification; Hyperprolactinemia; Hypopituitarism; Pituitary Gland