THYROTROPIN-PRODUCING PITUITARY-ADENOMA I N A PATIENT WITH CONGENITALTHYROID HYPOPLASIA

A 56 year old mentally disabled woman of short stature was admitted to our hospital because of severe chest pain and dyspnoea. An extended m yocardial infarction in the anterior wall was clinically found and con firmed by autopsy. On admission cretinism with massive myxedema was di agnosed, which was confirmed by subsequent laboratory findings. Only a t the base of the tongue thyroid tissue 3 mm in diameter was found. In the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland areas with nodular hyperplas ia and microadenomas of TSH-producing cells were detected. Thyrotroph adenomas in long standing hypothyroidism are rare. There are only few reports on congenital hypothyroidism as primary underlying disease.