SERTOLI-LEYDIG CELL TUMOR OF THE OVARY - A RARE CAUSE OF VIRILIZATIONAFTER MENOPAUSE

A case of Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour of the ovary causing virilization in a postmenopausal woman is presented. The patient had increasing fa cial hair growth, deepening of the voice, a dull pain in the lower par t of the abdomen and enlargement of the clitoris. Laboratory investiga tions showed an elevated level of plasma testosterone. Considering an ovarian tumour the most likely cause of the above-mentioned findings, hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Both ovaries were macroscopically normal at operation, but pathological exa mination revealed a small well-differentiated Sertoli-Leydig cell tumo ur in the left ovary. Follow-up 3 months later showed decreasing signs of virilization and normalization of the hormone levels.