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Ectopic Pituitary Adenomas

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Atlas of Sellar and Parasellar Lesions

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Abstract

Ectopic pituitary adenomas (EPAs) are rare tumors that develop outside of the usual location in the sella turcica. They may arise in conjunction with, or separate from, congenital and developmental syndromes that involve pituitary agenesis and hypoplasia.

EPAs may arise in the clivus, nasopharynx, sphenoid sinus, cavernous sinus, suprasellar region, and even the third ventricle.

All varieties of pituitary adenomas have been reported to arise as ectopic tumors, with associated hypersecretion syndromes including Cushing’s disease, acromegaly, hyperthyroidism, and hyperprolactinemia.

The clinical presentation is highly variable and depends on the tumor’s location, size, and pathological subtype.

Some EPAs are thought to arise from aberrant cells located in the pars tuberalis above the diaphragma sella, infundibulum, or craniopharyngeal duct.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1200 N State Street, #3300, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA

    Gabriel Zada MD, MS

  2. Department of Pathology (Neuropathology), University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1215 Lee Street, Room 3060–HEP, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA

    M. Beatriz S. Lopes MD, PhD

  3. Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Srinivasan Mukundan Jr PhD, MD

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 15 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Edward Laws Jr MD

Authors
  1. Gabriel Zada MD, MS
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  2. M. Beatriz S. Lopes MD, PhD
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  3. Srinivasan Mukundan Jr PhD, MD
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  4. Edward Laws Jr MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriel Zada MD, MS .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, LOS ANGELES, California, USA

    Gabriel Zada

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, USA

    M. Beatriz S. Lopes

  3. Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA

    Srinivasan Mukundan Jr.

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA

    Edward R. Laws Jr.

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Zada, G., Lopes, M.B.S., Mukundan, S., Laws, E. (2016). Ectopic Pituitary Adenomas. In: Zada, G., Lopes, M., Mukundan Jr., S., Laws Jr., E. (eds) Atlas of Sellar and Parasellar Lesions. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22855-6_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22855-6_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-22854-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-22855-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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