Asymptomatic microadenomas of the pituitary gland in an unselected autopsy series

ABSTRACT

Three hundred and fifty pituitary glands were studied in an selected autopsy series. The ages of the cases ranged from newborn to 104 years. None had clinical manifestations of pituitary dysfunction. Thirty-five glands (10 percent) showed 40 microadenomas which were distributed equally among males and females, occuring most frequently in the 8th decade. The clinical and autopsy records and X-ray films of the patients with microadenomas were reviewed. Of these, 50 percent were hypertensive, 20 percent were known diabetics and 14 percent were mildly to moderately obese. Two of the eight available X-ray films showed minor abnormalities of the sella turcica. The tumours were less than 5 mm in diameter and half of them were located away from the periphery of the gland. The findings were compared with those of other series (AU)