Pituitary Apoplexy Causes and Precipitating Factors

Primary Underlying Pathology

The American College of Radiology identifies hemorrhagic or vascular impairment of a pituitary adenoma as the main cause, which accounts for the majority of cases 1

The American College of Radiology notes that pituitary hemorrhage can occur in previously diagnosed and treated tumors 1
Prior radiation treatment to the pituitary region can precipitate pituitary apoplexy 1
Anticoagulation therapy increases the risk of hemorrhage 1
Trauma to the head can precipitate hemorrhage 1
Stalk transection or post-operative sella changes can also precipitate hemorrhage 2, 3
Infection can contribute to the development of pituitary apoplexy in healthy pituitary glands 1

Not all cases of intrapituitary hemorrhage are associated with symptomatic pituitary apoplexy, requiring correlation between imaging findings and the acute clinical syndrome 2, 4