“Pituitary Stalk Microadenoma”
I have a microadenoma on my pituitary stalk that is 7x7x8 mm resulting in mild mass effect along the undersurface of the optic chiasm. Would this be more worrisome than an adenoma inside the pituitary gland itself? Are these often removed? I don’t have any vision loss.
Female | 41 years old
Medications: Levothyroxine
Conditions: Hashimotos
6 Answers
They can be removed. They can also shrink with medication. An endocrinologist can be of great help in these cases.
There are two main concerns about any pituitary area lesion. 1) the proximity to your eye nerves (the optic chiasm), and 2) the cause of the ademona. By determining what type of adenoma it is (which can sometimes be diagnosed with blood tests only), you can determine what options you have to treat it, which may or may not include surgery. Regardless, you should have it addressed before it places any more compression on your chiasm and causes vision issues.
Dr. Juan Torres-Reveron
Neurosurgeon
It depends. In many cases, a mass on the pituitary stalk is something called a rathke's cleft cyst. They are benign but can grow by getting filled with fluid and require surgery. In most cases those masses are followed by MRI and if they start growing of causing significant pressure against the optic nerves they need surgery.
There is no need to do anything unless it grows on each subsequent scan, or you start to lose your peripheral vision. Then you should have it removed. Surgery is pretty easy. It’s done through the nose with no incision and most people go home the morning after surgery.
Small (which this is), non-functional pituitary microadenomas are most often observed with serial imaging (MRI every 6 months to start.). If they become symptomatic (vision loss, hormonal interference) then they can be surgically removed.
Not necessary worse. We often observe then vs biopsy if there is a need for diagnosis (if grows for instance)
The k you
Danny
The k you
Danny
