features of pituitary tumour

Last reviewed 06/2022

A growth hormone secreting pituitary adenoma may produce the following clinical features locally:

  • headache
  • visual field defects - most commonly a superior bi-temporal quadrantanopia, progressing to a bi-temporal hemianopia
  • cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea due to inferior extension of the tumour
  • III and more rarely IV and VI nerve palsies due to lateral extension of the tumour
  • FSH / LH, ACTH and TSH deficiencies due to pressure on adjacent normal pituitary cells. Deficiency of FSH/LH is most common producing hypogonadism. ACTH and TSH deficiencies tend only to occur in longstanding cases.