Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Beta or Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma: A Diagnostic Dilemma With a THRB Variant of Uncertain Significance

Elevated thyroid hormone concentrations with nonsuppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) present a challenging diagnostic problem.Resistance to thyroid hormone beta (RTHβ), analytical interference, and a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma (TSHoma) are important considerations.We describe a woman with persistent elevation of free thyroxine (FT4) and nonsuppressed or elevated TSH for more than five years, autoimmune thyroiditis, a heterozygous THRB c.284G>C (p.Gly95Ala) variant classified as a variant of uncertain significance (VUS), and a 4.9 × 4.4 mm pituitary microadenoma.Human anti-mouse antibody testing was negative, and subsequent free alpha-subunit measurement was within the reference range.The biochemical phenotype was compatible with RTHβ, but the VUS could not establish a molecular diagnosis, while the pituitary lesion could not be assumed to be causal.This case highlights the risk of diagnostic anchoring when genomic and imaging abnormalities coexist and emphasizes integrating longitudinal biochemistry, assay evaluation, molecular classification, and pituitary assessment before diagnosing RTHβ or TSHoma.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2026-09-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.116246
Primary Topic
Pituitary Gland Disorders and Treatments
Type
article
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article

Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Beta or Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma: A Diagnostic Dilemma With a THRB Variant of Uncertain Significance

Ahmed Mahgoub, Ahmed Elhassan, Isra Ali
Cureus
Pituitary Gland Disorders and Treatments
article

Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Beta or Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma: A Diagnostic Dilemma With a THRB Variant of Uncertain Significance

Ahmed Mahgoub, Ahmed Elhassan, Isra Ali
article en

Abstract

Elevated thyroid hormone concentrations with nonsuppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) present a challenging diagnostic problem.Resistance to thyroid hormone beta (RTHβ), analytical interference, and a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma (TSHoma) are important considerations.We describe a woman with persistent elevation of free thyroxine (FT4) and nonsuppressed or elevated TSH for more than five years, autoimmune thyroiditis, a heterozygous THRB c.284G>C (p.Gly95Ala) variant classified as a variant of uncertain significance (VUS), and a 4.9 × 4.4 mm pituitary microadenoma.Human anti-mouse antibody testing was negative, and subsequent free alpha-subunit measurement was within the reference range.The biochemical phenotype was compatible with RTHβ, but the VUS could not establish a molecular diagnosis, while the pituitary lesion could not be assumed to be causal.This case highlights the risk of diagnostic anchoring when genomic and imaging abnormalities coexist and emphasizes integrating longitudinal biochemistry, assay evaluation, molecular classification, and pituitary assessment before diagnosing RTHβ or TSHoma.

Cureus
Tanta University Hospital (EG), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (AE)
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
Pituitary Gland Disorders and Treatments
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Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Beta or Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma: A Diagnostic Dilemma With a THRB Variant of Uncertain Significance — Ahmed Mahgoub, Ahmed Elhassan, et al. · Cureus (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS