[A case of pituitary adenoma progressing to pituitary apoplexy on the occasion of cerebral angiography].

A case of pituitary adenoma which had progressed from subclinical pituitary apoplexy to subacute pituitary apoplexy on the occasion of cerebral angiography is reported. A 29-year-old man, complaining of bitemporal hemianopsia, was admitted to our department. Plain skull X-p revealed enlargement and double floor of the sella turcica. No abnormal calcification was revealed. CT demonstrated an isodensity mass with a diameter of 4 x 4 cm, and with ring enhancement in the suprasellar region. The mass extended from the intrasellar region to the suprasellar region and had a signal of high intensity on T1-weighted images. Endocrinological examination revealed hyperprolactinemia with a serum level of 422 ng/ml and normal reaction of anterior pituitary hormones. On 3rd March, digital subtraction angiography with 5F catheter was performed with the patient under sedation. The contrast medium was ioxaglic acid (Hexabrix 320). A volume of 6 ml with a speed of 4 ml per second was injected for the internal carotid angiogram. A total volume of 60 ml was used. Serum saline with 10 unit per ml of heparin sodium was also used for flushing. During angiography, the patient's blood pressure was 125/60-115/60mm Hg. DSA revealed upward displacement of the proximal portion of the anterior cerebral artery, pocket formation, and staining of the tumor capsule. Six hours later, he complained of retroorbital headache. Next morning, he noticed complete lack of left visual acuity. On 7th March, right visual acuity degenerated to blindness. CT revealed that the mass had increased its density. With bifrontal osteoplastic craniotomy, the tumor with marked intratumoral hemorrhage was resected. Its histology was chromophobe adenoma. The patient's right visual acuity improved rapidly. On the occasion of cerebral angiography, we could observe that subclinical pituitary apoplexy deteriorated to subacute pituitary apoplexy. Rosenbaum postulated that injection of contrast media increased intravascular pressure leading to pituitary apoplexy. At present, we cannot postulate increased intravascular pressure with 5F catheter and DSA. We cannot rule out that, with underlying subclinical pituitary apoplexy, hemorrhagic infarction due to contrast media and the anti-coagulate effect of heparin sodium accelerated the intratumoral bleeding. Subclinical pituitary apoplexy is a vulnerable state because of its aggravation to symptomatic apoplexy under mild stress. We emphasize that an operation should be performed as early as possible in the case of subclinical pituitary apoplexy.