What are the diagnostic criteria for a pituitary tumor?

Although pituitary tumors are relatively common, people do not know much about this disease. It is also called pituitary adenoma, a tumor that occurs on the pituitary gland. It is also one of the most common neuroendocrine tumor diseases. Its incidence rate is about 10% to 15%. So today we will learn about what diagnostic evidence can be used to diagnose pituitary tumors?

The diagnosis of pituitary tumors is based on the following:

1. Clinical manifestations

The early symptoms of pituitary tumors are often mild and easily missed or misdiagnosed. For example, pituitary tumors in the elderly cause hypopituitarism and decreased vision; pituitary tumors in children and adolescents cause decreased vision or growth retardation; male prolactin adenoma causes impotence; female prolactin adenoma causes menstrual disorders, etc. This requires the attention of not only neurosurgeons and endocrinologists, but also related departments such as ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, and the differential diagnosis of related diseases and pituitary tumors should be strengthened in various departments. Among them, MRI examinations and endocrine hormone determination are important means to improve the early diagnosis of pituitary tumors.

2. Endocrine examination

At present, the endocrinological indicators for diagnosing functional pituitary tumors are: serum PRL>30μg/L, serum GH>5μg/L, UFC>80μg/24 hours, ACTH>40pg/ml. Since endocrine hormones are affected by internal and external factors and have rhythmic changes, patients with increased blood GH levels should undergo a glucose GH test; those with increased cortisol should undergo a dexamethasone test to assist in the diagnosis. There are many factors that affect the increase in prolactin, but the higher the prolactin, the more supportive the diagnosis of pituitary tumors.

3. Imaging examination

MRI examination shows that tumors smaller than 1 cm are microadenomas, tumors larger than 1 cm but smaller than 3 cm are macroadenomas, and tumors larger than 3 cm are giant adenomas. It is not difficult to diagnose pituitary tumors in patients with typical clinical symptoms, endocrine and imaging examinations. For example, if the patient has amenorrhea, lactation, and significantly increased prolactin, and MRI shows that the diameter of the pituitary tumor is 2 cm, the diagnosis is a macroprolactinoma. If the patient has acromegaly, diabetes, and increased serum growth hormone, MRI shows that the pituitary gland is enlarged, and the diagnosis is a growth hormone adenoma.

The above is an introduction to the basis for diagnosing pituitary tumors.