Pseudo-precocious puberty in a young boy due to interstitial cell adenomas of the testis

A case of pseudo-precocious puberty in a 2 4/12-year-old boy, due to Leydig cell adenomas of the testicle, is described. The special endocrine investigations revealed high levels of plasma testosterone and other androgens together with suppressed plasma gonadotropins unresponsive to stimulation. After operation the hormones returned to normal. The growth velocity and bone age were only gradually decreased, during a period of one year, while the sexual manifestations were the last to disappear, in the third year.