Diagnosis and Treatment > Investigation > Ultrasound-guided biopsy

You are looking at 11 - 12 of 12 items

Taiba Zornitzki Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, Hebrew University Medical School of Jerusalem, Bilu 176100, Rehovot, Israel

Search for other papers by Taiba Zornitzki in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Hadara Rubinfeld Institute of Endocrinology and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, 49100, Israel
Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

Search for other papers by Hadara Rubinfeld in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Lyudmila Lysyy Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, Hebrew University Medical School of Jerusalem, Bilu 176100, Rehovot, Israel

Search for other papers by Lyudmila Lysyy in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Tal Schiller Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, Hebrew University Medical School of Jerusalem, Bilu 176100, Rehovot, Israel

Search for other papers by Tal Schiller in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Véronique Raverot Laboratoire d'Hormonologie – CBPE, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 59 bd Pinel69677, Bron Cedex, France

Search for other papers by Véronique Raverot in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Ilan Shimon Institute of Endocrinology and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, 49100, Israel
Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

Search for other papers by Ilan Shimon in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
Hilla Knobler Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, Hebrew University Medical School of Jerusalem, Bilu 176100, Rehovot, Israel

Search for other papers by Hilla Knobler in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close

Summary

Acromegaly due to ectopic GHRH secretion from a neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is rare and comprises <1% of all acromegaly cases. Herein we present a 57-year-old woman with clinical and biochemical features of acromegaly and a 6 cm pancreatic NET (pNET), secreting GHRH and calcitonin. Following surgical resection of the pancreatic tumor, IGF1, GH and calcitonin normalized, and the clinical features of acromegaly improved. In vitro studies confirmed that the tumor secreted large amounts of both GHRH and calcitonin, and incubation of pNET culture-derived conditioned media stimulated GH release from a cultured human pituitary adenoma. This is a unique case of pNET secreting both GHRH and calcitonin. The ability of the pNET-derived medium to stimulate in vitro GH release from a human pituitary-cell culture, combined with the clinical and hormonal remission following tumor resection, confirmed the ectopic source of acromegaly in this patient.

Learning points

  • Signs, symptoms and initial work-up of acromegaly due to ectopic GHRH secretion are similar to pituitary-dependent acromegaly. However, if no identifiable pituitary lesion is found, somatostatin receptor scan and further imaging (CT, MRI) should be performed.

  • Detection of GHRH in the blood and in the tumor-derived medium supports the diagnosis of ectopic GHRH secretion.

  • Functional bioactivity of pNET-secreted GHRH can be proved in vitro by releasing GH from human pituitary cells.

Open access
G K Dimitriadis Warwick Institute for the Study of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism (WISDEM Centre), The Arden NET Centre, University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, UHCW NHS Trust, ENETS CoE, Coventry, UK
Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, London, UK
Division of Translational and Systems Medicine, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

Search for other papers by G K Dimitriadis in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
K Gopalakrishnan Department of Histopathology, Coventry and Warwickshire, Pathology Service, UHCW NHS Trust, Coventry, UK

Search for other papers by K Gopalakrishnan in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
R Rao Warwick Institute for the Study of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism (WISDEM Centre), The Arden NET Centre, University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, UHCW NHS Trust, ENETS CoE, Coventry, UK

Search for other papers by R Rao in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
D K Grammatopoulos Division of Translational and Systems Medicine, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Histopathology, Coventry and Warwickshire, Pathology Service, UHCW NHS Trust, Coventry, UK

Search for other papers by D K Grammatopoulos in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
H S Randeva Warwick Institute for the Study of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism (WISDEM Centre), The Arden NET Centre, University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, UHCW NHS Trust, ENETS CoE, Coventry, UK
Division of Translational and Systems Medicine, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

Search for other papers by H S Randeva in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
M O Weickert Warwick Institute for the Study of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism (WISDEM Centre), The Arden NET Centre, University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, UHCW NHS Trust, ENETS CoE, Coventry, UK

Search for other papers by M O Weickert in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
N Murthy Warwick Institute for the Study of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism (WISDEM Centre), The Arden NET Centre, University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, UHCW NHS Trust, ENETS CoE, Coventry, UK

Search for other papers by N Murthy in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close

Summary

We report the case of a 70-year-old previously healthy female who presented acutely to the Accident and Emergency department with left-sided vasomotor symptoms including reduced muscle tone, weakness upon walking and slurred speech. Physical examination confirmed hemiparesis with VIIth nerve palsy and profound hepatomegaly. A random glucose was low at 1.7 mmol/l, which upon correction resolved her symptoms. In hindsight, the patient recalled having had similar episodes periodically over the past 3 months to which she did not give much attention. While hospitalized, she continued having episodes of symptomatic hypoglycaemia during most nights, requiring treatment with i.v. dextrose and/or glucagon. Blood tests including insulin and C-peptide were invariably suppressed, in correlation with low glucose. A Synacthen stimulation test was normal (Cort (0′) 390 nmol/l, Cort (30′) 773 nmol/l). A computed tomography scan showed multiple lobulated masses in the abdomen, liver and pelvis. An ultrasound guided biopsy of one of the pelvic masses was performed. Immunohistochemistry supported the diagnosis of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) positive for CD34 and CD117. A diagnosis of a non islet cell tumour hypoglycaemia (NICTH) secondary to an IGF2 secreting GIST was confirmed with further biochemical investigations (IGF2=96.5 nmol/l; IGF2:IGF1 ratio 18.9, ULN <10). Treatment with growth hormone resolved the patient's hypoglycaemic symptoms and subsequent targeted therapy with Imatinib was successful in controlling disease progression over an 8-year observation period.

Learning points

  • NICTH can be a rare complication of GISTs that may manifest with severe hypoglycaemia and neuroglucopenic symptoms.

  • NICTH can masquerade as other pathologies thus causing diagnostic confusion.

  • Histological confirmation of GIST induced NICTH and exclusion of other conditions causing hypoglycaemia is essential.

  • Mutational analysis of GISTs should be carried out in all cases as it guides treatment decision.

  • Tailored management of hypoglycaemia, in this case using growth hormone and targeted cyto-reductive therapy, minimizes the risk of possible life-threatening complications.

Open access