Pituitary Tumor Care - Mayo Clinic in Minnesota

At Mayo Clinic, we provide expert care delivered with compassion and designed with you in mind. You’ll have an integrated team of specialists that includes:

Neurosurgeons who focus on pituitary tumors.
Endocrinologists.
Neuro-ophthalmologists.
Otolaryngologists – sinus surgeons.
Radiation oncologists.
Neuroradiologists.
Pituitary-Gonad-Adrenal (PGA) Specialty Group .

Our PGA Specialty Group provides an individualized and comprehensive postoperative management plan for patients undergoing pituitary surgery. Our PGA group includes experts in:

Cushing syndrome (also called Cushing’s disease)
Acromegaly
Treatment resistant prolactinomas
Other rare pituitary conditions

Many pituitary adenomas don't need treatment, and watchful waiting may be recommended. If treatment is recommended, our experts are experienced in approaches to return hormone levels to a healthy range, avoid more damage to the pituitary gland and restore its regular function, and reverse or prevent symptoms.

Our highly skilled experts have the experience to apply a variety of techniques and provide you with the right answer, the first time. When it comes to your pituitary brain tumor, we satisfy the only opinion that truly matters: yours. Getting a second opinion here may be your first chance at hope.

Your team will work with you to determine the right approach or combination of approaches for you. These may include:

Endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal surgery to remove a tumor through the nose and sinuses without an external incision or visible scar. No other part of the brain is affected. This procedure usually reduces discomfort and length of hospital stay.
Transcranial surgery (craniotomy) to remove larger or more complicated tumors through the upper part of the skull via an incision in the scalp.
Radiation therapy, including proton beam therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery to precisely target a tumor with fewer side effects.
Medication therapy. Our endocrinologists are leaders in pituitary hormone replacement therapy and in medical management of hormone-producing pituitary tumors, such as prolactin-secreting tumors (prolactinomas), ACTH-producing tumors (Cushing syndrome), and growth hormone-secreting tumors.

Pituitary tumors often go undiagnosed because symptoms resemble those of other conditions. Testing may include blood and urine tests, CT and magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain, and vision testing.

In addition, Mayo Clinic’s team can perform advanced testing, including:

7 – Tesla MRI. This imaging system uses a stronger magnetic field to produce more detailed images of the body's interior. Detailed brain scans help Mayo Clinic care teams diagnose and treat patients with brain tumors. This advanced imaging technology is key to ensuring patients receive an accurate diagnosis to guide treatment.
Sampling from the inferior petrosal sinus sinuses where the pituitary gland drains hormones into the bloodstream.
PET scanning for hard-to-find tumors.
Advanced intraoperative ultrasound and MRI.

Mayo Clinic is using new photon-counting-detector CT imaging technology that enables our doctors to detect structures that are detectable with conventional CT and MRI.

In addition to the 7-tesla MRI, Mayo Clinic is at the forefront of using photon-counting-detector CT technology. This innovative technology represents a major milestone in CT imaging, providing clearer and more detailed images than ever before. With photon-counting detectors, we can now see structures that were previously too small to detect with conventional CT scanners. This means we can provide more accurate diagnoses and better treatment outcomes for our patients.

Mayo Clinic installed the world's first photon-counting scanner in 2014. Our doctors are at the forefront of using this technology to provide more accurate diagnoses and better treatment outcomes for our patients.

This image displays the radiology scanned imaging from a 3 Tesla MRI. The 3 Tesla MRI, while using a less powerful magnetic field compared to the 7 Tesla MRI, still provides clear and detailed images of the body's interior. It is commonly used in clinical settings to diagnose and monitor various medical conditions, offering valuable insights for patient care and treatment planning. However, the clarity of the images produced by the 3 Tesla MRI is not as high as that of the 7 Tesla MRI, which can impact the level of detail visible in the scans.

Our multidisciplinary and patient-centered approach is designed to reduce surgical complications and shorten hospital stays. Approximately 82% of patients can go home the day after surgery.

A study published in April 2020 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings found differences between Mayo Clinic's outcomes for pituitary surgery and compared them to outcomes reported in a multicenter study. Findings included significantly shorter operating times, shorter average hospital stage, and lower readmission rate 30 days after surgery. Moreover, Mayo Clinic surgeons focus on preserving nasal function following these minimally invasive transnasal approaches, allowing for quicker return of normal nasal airflow and sense of smell.

Mayo Clinic’s experts are constantly exploring new treatments and interventions to prevent, detect, treat, and manage pituitary tumors.

Pituitary Tumor Experts at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota

Care plans and treatment options personalized to you.

Why Choose Mayo Clinic for Pituitary Tumor Care

7-Tesla MRI

Patient Story

FAQs Diagnosis and Treatments

FAQs Understanding Pituitary Tumors

Cushing Syndrome

Why Choose Mayo Clinic for Neurology and Neurosurgery

Experts in pituitary tumors, focused on you.

We’re with you every step of the way.

The right diagnosis, the first time.

Seeing the unseeable with new imaging technology

Innovation leads to better outcomes.

Highly ranked care, with compassion.

Many insurance plans accepted.

Contact us to request an appointment.