Clinical and morphological findings in two cases of bromocriptine-treated prolactinomas

The morphology of two cases of prolactin (PRL) secreting pituitary tumours was analyzed at the light and electron microscopic level. Prior to surgery both patients had been treated with bromocriptine. In both tumors, groups of cells revealed considerable morphological changes but these were not confined to the whole adenoma. In fact, most cells still appeared ultrastructurally intact. Pieces from both adenomas were explanted to an in vitro system. These specimens secreted mainly PRL though smaller amounts of growth hormone (GH) were also produced. The cell morphology of the cultured specimens often showed a large number of preserved cells.