Cerebrospinal Fluid Hormone Concentration in the Evaluation of Pituitary Tumors

doi:10.1059/0003-4819-85-1-49

Cerebrospinal Fluid Hormone Concentration in the Evaluation of Pituitary Tumors

Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of corticotropin, growth hormone, thyrotropin, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone were measured in 28 patients with various neurologic disorders, in 49 patients with pituitary tumors of whom 22 had suprasellar extension, and in 6 patients with craniopharyngiomas. With the exception of 1 patient with pseudotumor cerebri, CSF adenohypophyseal hormone concentrations were low in patients with neurologic disease and in patients with pituitary tumor without suprasellar extension. In marked contrast, 21 of 22 patients with suprasellar extension of a pituitary tumor and 2 of 6 patients with a craniopharyngioma had elevations of one or more CSF adenohypophyseal hormones. Posttreatment CSF adenohypophyseal hormone levels fell from previously elevated levels in 4 of 5 patients. These data suggest that an elevated CSF adenohypophyseal hormone concentration is a sensitive indicator of suprasellar extension of a pituitary tumor, and posttreatment measurements are useful in determining efficacy of therapy.

Article and Author Information

▸From the Research Service, Portland Veterans Administration Hospital; and the Departments of Medicine and Radiology, University of Oregon Health Sciences Center; Portland, Oregon; and the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital, University of Washington School of Medicine; Seattle, Washington.
Grant support: by the Portland Veterans Administration Hospital, MRIS #4737 and MRIS #4883; and by the National Institutes of Health, Grant HD-05105-12.
▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to John W. Kendall, M.D.; Portland Veterans Administration Hospital, SW Sam Jackson Park; Portland, OR 97207.
- Received October 6, 1975.
- Accepted March 29, 1976.