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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>The Spectrum Journal</journal-title>
        <abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="publisher">TSJ</abbrev-journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="epub">3107-5738</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Mr. Chanderprakash Mittal</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.64790/tsj.2025.v1.i2.27</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">spectrum-00000027</article-id>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Delayed Detection of ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Microadenoma: A Case for Serial Imaging in Refractory Cushing’s Disease</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Khan</surname>
            <given-names>Zainab Haider</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Asfeha</surname>
            <given-names>Dr. Natnael Fitsum</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"/>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Mirza</surname>
            <given-names>Dr. Lubna</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3"/>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <aff id="aff1">Avalon University School of Medicine , Willemstad, Curacao</aff>
      <aff id="aff2">Hallelujah General Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Ethiopia</aff>
      <aff id="aff3">Norman Endocrinology Associates,Oklahoma,USA</aff>
      <pub-date pub-type="epub" iso-8601-date="2026">
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>1</volume>
      <issue>2</issue>
      <fpage>29</fpage>
      <lpage>33</lpage>
      <permissions>
        <license license-type="open-access" xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">
          <license-p>This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons license.</license-p>
        </license>
      </permissions>
      <abstract>
        <p>
Cushing’s disease (CD), a subtype of Cushing syndrome caused by pituitary ACTH-secreting adenomas, can be challenging to diagnose, especially in the presence of adrenal incidentalomas which can suggest adrenal cause shifting the focus away from the possibility of true pituitary disease in ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism.

Case Presentation
This case is presented as a 61-year-old female with an initial presentation of hypercortisolism
who was diagnosed with adrenal Cushing syndrome after an MRI revealed a unilateral adrenal incidentaloma. She was gonadotrophically deprived and her adrenal gland was removed and she briefly improved. The symptoms reoccurred several years later and repeat imaging and inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) showed that she had an ACTH-secreting pituitary microadenoma. After transsphenoidal resection, the IGF-I of the patient was slightly elevated that created the suspicion of GH co-secretion even though there was no clinical sign of acromegaly. The patient has attained biochemical remission and she is under close follow up.

Conclusion
This case highlights the diagnostic complexity of CD in the presence of adrenal incidentalomas and emphasizes the importance of thorough hormonal workup, repeat imaging, and the use of IPSS. The deviation from the diagnostic guidelines for biochemistry and failure to recognize the initial normal levels of ACTH could have eliminated the delayed diagnosis.
Keywords: Cushing’s Disease, ACTH-secreting adenoma, GH co-secretion, pituitary tumor, adrenal incidentaloma, diagnostic delay</p>
      </abstract>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
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