Pituitary Pathology Flashcards

1
Q

Why is the posterior pituitary called the pars nervosa?

A

Because it originates from the nervous tissue!

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2
Q

The anterior pituitary has what histologic pattern? Why is this clinically helpful?

A

It has a honeycomb-like reticulin network that allows pathologists to distinguish it from tumors of the anterior pituitary (which will lose this structure).

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3
Q

The ____________ pituitary does not have as rich a network of blood vessels.

A

posterior (because it’s mostly axons)

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4
Q

Pituitary adenomas are WHO grade ____.

A

I (easily resectable), although they are not given this designation usually because that system is reserved for CNS tumors

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5
Q

Invasive macroadenomas can invade ____________.

A

bone

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6
Q

95% of pituitary adenomas are ____________.

A

sporadic

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7
Q

What is touch preparation?

A

If a sample of the pituitary has an adenoma, then simply touching a cytologic glass slide to it will cause shedding of cells.

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8
Q

Advanced pathology labs can determine which lineage of tumor the pituitary adenoma arose from by ___________.

A

staining for transcription factors: T-pit = corticotroph, Pit-1 = somatotroph, and SF-1 = gonadotroph

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9
Q

Prolactinemia can arise from three things: ________________.

A

pituitary tumors, dopamine antagonists, and infundibular compression (because it disrupts the tonic inhibition)

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10
Q

To develop true gigantism, you need to develop a pituitary adenoma before _______________.

A

the epiphyseal plate stops growing

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11
Q

Why might a prolactinoma not respond to bromocriptine or cabergoline?

A

If it is a mixed adenoma (with growth hormone somatotrophic cells)

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12
Q

Those with corticotroph adenomas might have what cell on histologic examination of their anterior pituitary?

A

Crooke cells –cells that change their morphology in response to high levels of cortisol

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13
Q

The cystic tumor that arises from the Rathke pouch is called ___________.

A

craniopharyngioma

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14
Q

Metastasis to endocrine glands is not common, but the most common cancer to do so is _____________.

A

breast cancer

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15
Q

85% of sellar masses are _______________.

A

pituitary adenomas

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16
Q

All sellar region masses preferentially affect adults with the exception of ________________.

A

craniopharyngioma

17
Q

All multiple endocrine neoplasias have ___________ inheritance.

A

autosomal dominant

“All MEN are Dominant”

18
Q

What do Pit-1 and SF-1 stain for?

A

Pit-1: somatotroph

SF-1: gonadotroph

19
Q

The most common non-functional pituitary adenoma is ______________.

A

gonadotroph adenoma (most are positive for SF-1 and negative for all hormones)