[Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis. Case report].

The patients was a 27-year-old female, gravida 0, para 0, with complaint of headache and visual disturbance for about 1 month. Ophthalmological examination showed impaired visual acuity and enlargement of Mariotte's spot on the left. A computed tomography scan disclosed an enhanced mass in the sellar and suprasellar region. Endocrinological examination revealed slight elevation of thyroxin, growth hormone, and prolactin. A trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomy was carried out with a preoperative diagnosis of nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma. Histological examination showed a marked infiltration of lymphocytes and interstitial fibrosis, diagnosed as lymphocytic adenohypophysitis. She received hormone-replacement therapy owing to postoperative hypopituitarism. Twenty-eight cases of lymphocytic adenohypophysitis including the author's are classified clinically into two types; fulminant type and chronic type. The former type occurs frequently with disturbance of consciousness because of the end organ insufficiency and proceeds to death in a fulminant course. The latter type occurs frequently with headache and visual disturbances, closely related to pregnancy and the postpartum period and survival occurs with hormone replacement therapy. This disease should be kept in mind in the diagnosis of sellar and suprasellar mass lesions.