Comparative evaluation of CT and secreting hormones in pituitary adenomas

The pituitary adenomas represent 10-15% of all intracranial tumors in adult and CT is the most useful for identifying the pituitary adenomas. Most intracranial pituitary adenomas have typical CT findings such ashypodense, isodense or hyperdense on precontrast enhancement, and isodense or slightly hyperdense as compared with carvenous sinus on contrast enhancement. Authors retrospectively analyzed CT findings of pituitary adenomas andcompared it with hormonal analysis in 41 patients, which were confirmed pathologically in Korea University Medical Center for recent 5 years. The results were as follows: 1. Among 41 cases of pituitary adenomas, 25 cases werehormonal secreting pituitary adenomas and 16 cases were hormonal nonsecreting pituitary adenomas. 2. Mean age was 37.5 years old and predominantly occured in female. 3. In secreting pituitary adenomas, prolactinomas were mostcommon and the most of them were intrasellar location. 4. Nonsecreting pituitary adenomas were larger in size and showed suprasellar or parasellar extension. 5. Most of pituitary adenomas revealed homogeneous enhancement and no correlations with its hormonal activity or types of homones. 6. Calcification appeared in 4 cases.