Pregnancy-induced changes in prolactinomas as assessed with computed tomography.

Seven women with prolactin-secreting pituitary microadenomas and three with persistent hyperprolactinemia after surgical adenomectomies were evaluated with computed tomography to assess the effect of pregnancy on the volume of pituitary prolactinomas and hyperfunctioning pituitary tissue. In one patient a microadenoma enlarged to become a macroadenoma. Tumor enlargement occurred in the remaining six patients with microadenomas. None of the patients with previously resected adenomas exhibited hypertrophy of residual pituitary tissue or tumor recurrence after pregnancy.