Pheochromocytoma, paragangliomas, and pituitary adenoma: An unusual association in a patient with an SDHD mutation. Case report
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Updated: Jan 21, 2026
Three-dimensional Alginate-bead Culture of Human Pituitary Adenoma Cells
Published on: February 18, 2016
Annie Lemelin1, Marion Lapoirie2, Juliette Abeillon1
1Department of Endocrinology.
Rationale:
Pituitary adenomas and paragangliomas are both rare endocrine diseases. Paragangliomas (PGL)/pheochromocytomas (PHEO) are part of an inherited syndrome in about 30% to 40% of cases. Among familial cases, mutations of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunit genes (succinate dehydrogenase subunit [SDH]B, SDHC, SDHD, succinate dehydrogenase subunit AF2 [SDHAF2] , and SDHA) are the most common cause.
Patient Concerns:
We here report a 31-year-old patient with a known SDHD mutation whose disease has been revealed by a left PHEO during childhood and who presented at age 29 years a large paraganglioma of the right jugular foramen, a concomitant PHEO of the left adrenal and 2 retroperitoneal paragangliomas. A pituitary incidentaloma was found during investigations on a fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) (FDG-PET).
Diagnosis:
A pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the presence of a 14 mm pituitary macroadenoma. The pituitary function was normal except for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. On examination of the fundus, a diagnosis of Pseudo Foster-Kennedy syndrome was made due to a venous compression of the right jugular vein caused by the paraganglioma (PGL). The pituitary adenoma was not compressive to the optic chiasm.
Interventions:
A treatment with acetazolamide was started in order to improve intracranial hypertension. The patient couldn't benefit of a surgical approach for the paraganglioma of the right jugular foramen; the patient has been treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife).
Outcomes:
The most recent MRI revealed that the right jugular foramen PGL is stable and the latest visual assessment demonstrated stability despite a recent reduction in acetazolamide dosage. A surveillance by MRI of the pituitary adenoma has been planned.
Lessons:
The association of a pituitary adenoma to paragangliomas within a same patient is very uncommon and raises the question of related physiopathological mechanisms.
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