Table 2 Morphological classification of pituitary adenomas.
Tumour | Transcription factor | Hormones | Cam 5.2 keratin staining |
---|---|---|---|
Adenomas containing GH | Pit‐1 | ||
Somatotroph adenomas | GH | ||
Densely granulated | α‐subunit | Perinuclear | |
Sparsely granulated | Fibrous bodies | ||
Mammosomatotroph adenomas | GH, PRL, α‐subunit | ||
Mixed somatotroph–lactotroph adenomas | |||
Plurihormonal GH‐producing adenomas | GH, PRL α‐subunit, β‐TSH | ||
Adenomas containing PRL | Pit‐1 | ||
Lactotroph adenomas | PRL | ||
Sparsely granulated | PRL (Golgi pattern) | ||
Densely granulated | PRL (diffuse) | ||
Acidophil stem cell adenomas | PRL, GH | Fibrous bodies | |
Adenomas containing TSH | Pit‐1, TEF GATA‐2 | ||
Thyrotroph adenomas | α‐subunit, β‐TSH | ||
Adenomas containing ACTH | Tpit | ||
Densely granulated | ACTH | ||
Sparsely granulated | ACTH | ||
Crookes' cell adenoma | ACTH | Dense bands | |
Adenomas containing gonadotropins | SF‐1, ER, GATA‐2 | ||
Gonadotroph adenomas | α‐subunit, β‐FSH, β‐LH | ||
Plurihormonal adenomas | Multiple | ||
Silent subtype 3 | Multiple | ||
Unusual | Multiple | ||
Hormone‐negative adenomas | None | ||
Null‐cell adenomas | None |
ACTH, adrenocorticotrophic hormone; ER, oestrogen receptor; FSH, follicle‐stimulating hormone; GATA‐2, GH, growth hormone; PRL, prolactin; SF‐1, steroidogenic factor‐1; TEF, thyrotroph embryonic factor.