Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Sep;39(5):373-378.
doi: 10.1007/s00292-018-0473-3.

[Ectopia of the pituitary]

[Article in German]
Affiliations
Review

[Ectopia of the pituitary]

[Article in German]
W Saeger. Pathologe. 2018 Sep.

Abstract

The adenohypophysis has a large intrasellar part and two small parts at the pituitary stalk and the pharynx. Near this extrasellar pituitary tissue, and also in sinus sphenoidalis and sinus cavernosus, ectopic pituitary adenomas can develop. They are indistinguishable in structure and function from usual intrasellar adenomas. The neurohypophysis can show dystopias within complex malformations. In so-called pituitary stalk interruption syndrome, a real ectopia of the neurohypophysis is found at the eminentia mediana of the hypothalamus. Ectopic tissue in the pituitary is extremely rare: foci of ganglionic cells were found in the neurohypophysis and adrenocortical tissue in the adenohypophysis. Focal squamous epithelia in the anterior pituitary are a common finding but they are rather metaplastic from parenchymal cells than ectopic tissue. Small foci of ectopic salivary gland tissue are not rare in the intermediate zone.

Keywords: Adenoma; Anterior pituitary gland; Choristoma; Pituitary neoplasms; Posterior pituitary gland.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Neurosurgery. 2002 Mar;50(3):618-25 - PubMed
    1. Clin Neuropathol. 2012 Jan-Feb;31(1):24-30 - PubMed
    1. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2000 Jun-Jul;21(6):1116-8 - PubMed
    1. Horm Res. 2003;60(6):277-83 - PubMed
    1. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008 Jul;69(1):112-6 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources