von Westarp C, Weir B K, Shnitka T K
Am J Med. 1980 Jun;68(6):949-54. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(80)90229-6.
Calcification of the pituitary is unusual and functional studies of such cases have not been previously reported. We have been able to document persistent prolactin secretion both in vivo and in vitro in a patient with a severely calcified pituitary adenoma ("pituitary stone"), and have also documented prolactin granules within the calcified tissue mass. Normal menstrual function was restored after surgical removal of the "stone," and galactorrhea subsided although the prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) remained abnormal. Two years after surgery the menstrual cycle has remained regular, but galactorrhea has recurred, emphasizing the need for prolonged follow-up in patients with prolactin-producing adenomas, despite apparent surgical cure. The in vitro studies showed that human pituitary tissue is secretory in culture and thus may serve as a useful tool for physiologic studies of the pituitary cell.
垂体钙化并不常见，此前尚未有对此类病例的功能研究报告。我们已证实，一名患有严重钙化垂体腺瘤（“垂体石”）的患者在体内和体外均持续分泌催乳素，并且在钙化组织块中也发现了催乳素颗粒。手术切除“垂体石”后，患者恢复了正常月经功能，溢乳症状也有所缓解，不过催乳素对促甲状腺激素释放激素（TRH）的反应仍不正常。术后两年，月经周期保持规律，但溢乳症状再次出现，这凸显了对于催乳素分泌性腺瘤患者，即便手术看似治愈，仍需长期随访的必要性。体外研究表明，人垂体组织在培养中具有分泌功能，因此可作为垂体细胞生理学研究的有用工具。
