Clinical aspects of spontaneous necrosis of pituitary tumors (pituitary apoplexy).

Among 586 surgically treated tumors of the pituitary gland 72 cases (12.3%) of spontaneous necrosis of the tumor were found. However only in 10 cases (1.7%) were there clues of an additional rupture of the tumor with signs of meningeal reaction in the CSF. Cases with a relatively benign clinical course and signs of regression are more frequent than generally assumed. Spontaneous necrosis with and without rupture is much more frequent in endocrinologically inactive tumors (including prolactinomas) as opposed to STH- and ACTH-cell adenomas. Analyzing the patient material the clinical symptomatology and the differential diagnosis of spontaneous necrosis of the tumor with and without rupture are discussed.