What is prolactinoma?
It is a non cancerous pituitary tumor that causes an overproduction of the hormone prolactin. The prolactin hormone stimulates the production in breast milk and it also is in charge of breast development.
Causes of prolactinoma are unknown, but there are several risk factors including individuals who have hypothyroidism, pregnant women, young women, and older men. Results can range anywhere from loss of vision (due to the tumor compressing on the optic nerve), bone loss, and headaches, to lactating from the breast (from the overproduction of prolactin), hypothyroidism, and decrease in other hormones released by the pituitary gland.
Medications are usually given to help regulate hormone levels, but in some rare cases, the tumor must be excised in surgery. I have included an example of a prolactinoma on a CT coronal image with contrast.
References:
www.radpod.org
www.mayoclinic.com
http://www.medi-fax.com/atlas/braintumours/pituitarytumors/case2.html
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