Abstract

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis is a recently known entity. It belongs to the IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD), in which one or more organs may be involved, with compressive or obstructive symptoms, or dysfunctionality due to cellular infiltration. The pituitary gland can be isolatedly affected. Clinically, lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis presents with diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism and/or symptoms of an occupying sellar mass, being the non-secreting sellar adenomas and other types of hypophysitis the main differential diagnosis. In order to reach the diagnosis, the presence of pituitary enlargement or pituitary stalk thickening on an MRI scan, a distinctive histopathology with positive for IgG4 immunostaining in more than 10 plasma cells per high-power field, and elevated serum IgG4 levels, confirms this type of hypophysitis. As this entity has an excellent response to glucocorticoids, the diagnosis suspicion may avoid an unnecessary surgery in most patients.

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