Galactorrhea, Oligo/Amenorrhea, and Hyperprolactinemia in Patients with Craniopharyngiomas*

Abstract

Three patients with craniopharyngiomas who had galactorrhea, oligomenorrhea amenorrhea and abnormal sellar tomograms, clinically suggesting the presence of a prolactinoma, are reported. One patient had an intrasellar craniopharyngioma (Rathke''s cleft cyst) diagnosed during surgical exploration of the pituitary fossa for removal of a suspected prolactinoma, and 2 had suprasellar craniopharyngiomas whose presence was suspected on the basis of computed tomography. This finding emphasizes the importance of computed tomography in the evaluation of patients with the clinical presentation of a prolactinoma. In 2 patients, PRL [prolactin] levels were elevated before surgery and remained elevated after removal of the craniopharyngioma. In the 3rd case, an initially normal serum PRL level became elevated after removal of the tumor.