%0 Journal Article
%T Pituitary hyperplasia secondary to acquired hypothyroidism: case report
%A Roberto Franceschi
%A Umberto Rozzanigo
%A Riccarda Failo
%A Maria Bellizzi
%A Annunziata Di Palma
%J Italian Journal of Pediatrics
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1824-7288-37-15
%X a 10 year old boy presented with headache and statural growth arrest. MRI revealed an intrasellar and suprasellar pituitary mass. Endocrine evaluation revealed primary hypothyroidism.the patient was started on levothyroxine with resolution of the mass effect.primary hypothyroidism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of solid mass lesions of the pituitary gland. Examination of thyroid function in patients with sellar and suprasellar masses revealed by MRI may avoid unnecessary operations which can cause irreversible complications.There are many causes of sellar and suprasellar mass, and pituitary enlargment secondary to primary hypothyroidism has been previously described [1-5]. It results from the loss of thyroxine feedback inhibition and the subsequent overproduction of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) [6]. Despite recent progress in imaging techniques, it is not possible to distinguish between TSH-producing macroadenoma and hyperplasia of pituitary thyrotroph cells on CT and MR scans. In such cases, repeat MRI after therapy with thyroxine may provide a definitive diagnosis and eliminate unnecessary surgery: unlike adenoma, pituitary hyperplasia resolves after thyroid hormone replacement therapy [2].A 10 year old boy, born at term in Morocco from non-consanguineous parents after an uncomplicated pregnancy, presented at his local hospital with occipital headache over the last three months and height growth arrest: during the previous 2 years he had grown 1 cm, declining from the 75-90th percentile to the 25th, while his weight had passed from the 50th to the 75th percentile in the last year. He did not complain of vomiting, tiredness or any other symptoms.His past and familial history was unremarkable and his cognitive development normal. On physical examination, he presented with height 136 cm (25th percentile), weight 42 kg (75th percentile), prepubertal status, blood pressure 120/67 mmHg, pulse rate 72 bpm, and non-palpable thyroid gland. Becaus
%U http://www.ijponline.net/content/37/1/15