Incidental Detection of Clinically Occult Pituitary Adenoma on Whole-Body FDG PET Imaging

Abstract

A patient with metastatic leiomyosarcoma demonstrated a focus of intense hypermetabolism in the sellar region in a posttreatment F-18 FDG PET. Further workup with magnetic resonance imaging revealed a pituitary adenoma. Endocrinologic evaluation was consistent with acromegaly. The patient underwent transsphenoidal hypophysectomy with pathology consistent with a growth hormone-secreting pituitary macroadenoma. This case demonstrates early detection of a pituitary adenoma by whole-body FDG PET and emphasizes the importance of pursuing incidental findings detected in the sella on PET imaging.