Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Prolactinoma

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Prolactinoma - females; Adenoma - secreting; Prolactin-secreting adenoma of the pituitary


Symptoms

In women:

  • Abnormal milk flow from the breast in a woman who is not pregnant or nursing (galactorrhea)
  • Breast tenderness
  • Decreased sexual interest
  • Headache
  • Infertility
  • Stopping of menstruation not related to menopause
  • Vision changes

In men:

  • Decreased sexual interest
  • Enlargement of breast tissue (gynecomastia)
  • Headache
  • Impotence
  • Infertility
  • Vision changes

Symptoms caused by pressure from a larger tumor may include:

  • Headache
  • Lethargy
  • Nasal drainage
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Problems with the sense of smell
  • Vision changes
    • Double vision
    • Drooping eyelids
    • Visual field loss

Note: There may be no symptoms, particularly in men.


Signs and tests
  • Cranial MRI or cranial CT scan showing a pituitary mass
  • Decreased testosterone levels in men
  • Prolactin levels

Review Date: 11/23/2009
Reviewed By: Ari S. Eckman, MD, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)