Somatotroph and corticotroph pituitary adenoma (double adenoma) in a cat with diabetes mellitus and hyperadrenocorticism.

Abstract

A 9-year-old castrated male European shorthair cat with insulin-resistant diabetes was referred with the preliminary diagnosis of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism, based on measurements of urinary corticoids. Further studies revealed not only resistance of plasma concentrations of cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) to suppression by a low dose of dexamethasone, but also elevated plasma concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Pituitary imaging with dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated an enlarged pituitary gland and an adenoma. The cat underwent trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomy after which the insulin resistance disappeared. On histopathological and immunocytochemical examination of the surgical specimen a double adenoma was found, consisting of a corticotroph adenoma and a somatotroph adenoma separated by unaffected pituitary tissue.