[Functional classification of pituitary adenomas]

Pituitary adenomas might be classified into different groups according to different variety of hormone produced. 225 surgical specimens were labeled with anti- sera of GH, PRL, ACTH, TSH, FSH, and LH, via immunohistochemical technique (ABC method). Data indicated that 100 out of the 225 (44.5%) were monohormonal adenomas, including 24 GH, 39 PRL, 1 FSH and 9 LH, 77 (34.2%) were multi- hormonal adenomas, including 28 positive for 2 hormones, 30 positive for 3 hormones, 19 positive for 4 or more different hormones, and the remaining 48 (21.3%) were nonfunctional adenomas. In comparison with Kovacs series, factors which might participate in the mechanism of developing monohormonal or multi- hormonal adenomas are discussed.