A STUDY OF PITUITARY FUNCTION AFTER INTRASELLAR IMPLANTATION OF 90YTTRIUM.

Abstract

90Yttrium, contained in plastic cylinders, was implanted into the pituitary gland in 90 patients by the transnasal route through the anterior sellar wall. Thirty-three cases are reported in which follow-up endocrine laboratory studies were done 6 weeks or later postoperatively and tentative clinical evaluations were made. Twenty-nine of the patients had metastatic breast cancer, 2 had acromegaly, and 2 had Cushing's syndrome. The degree of hypopituitarism induced was evaluated by preoperative and postoperative measurements of protein-bound iodine (PBI), basal metabolic rate (BMR), urinary gonadotropins, 17-ketosteroids (17-KS), and 17-hydroxycorticoids (17-OHCS). Based on the urinary excretion of 17-OHCS in response to administered Metopirone postoperatively, 21 of the 29 patients with metastatic breast cancer had severe hypopituitarism, and most had subjective and/or objective benefit from the operation. Eight of the 29 patients judged by response to Metopirone had residual pituitary function ranging fro...