A 21-year-old member asked:
Why is early diagnosis of pituitary tumors such a problem?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. John Chastainanswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 21 years experience
Few symptoms.: Pituitary tumors are slow-growing and tend not to cause any acute symptoms, allowing them to grow to a relatively large size prior to their discovery. Furthermore, most do not cause hormonal problems, and the usual symptoms they cause (vision change, sometimes headache) are nonspecific and may be caused by a number of other conditions.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. William Goldieanswered
Pediatric Neurology 50 years experience
Too small and deep: The pituitary is located in a boney saddle deep inside the skull. The MRI is best to visualize it, but it is still hard to evaluate. Hormone and endocrine studies may help, but can be very difficult to interpret. Small changes in the appearance can be normal or tumor and still look the same. Simple biopsy is not possible.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Jun 17, 2015
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