[Methodologic aspects of detecting microadenomas of the pituitary in autopsy material]

Macro- and microscopic examinations of 64 randomly selected hypophyses were carried out to evaluate the dependence of the frequency of findings of hypophysis microadenomas in the section material upon the method of morphological examination and to solve the problems of differential diagnosis of microadenomas and other focal accumulations of adenocytes. Of the 7 microadenomas found 6 were detected only by microscopy. The frequency of finding of microadenomas was determined by the number of sections (blocks) examined from each hypophysis: 2 +/- 2% with 1-2 blocks per hypophysis, and 38 +/- 12% with 3-4 blocks. In addition to the previously described diagnostic criteria for microadenomas, two cytologic signs are described: cytoplasmic degranulation and a high nucleus-cytoplasm ratio in tumor cells.