RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 MR Imaging of the Posterior Hypophysis in Children
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 511
OP 514
VO 10
IS 3
A1 F. Gudinchet
A1 F. Brunelle
A1 M. O. Barth
A1 V. Taviere
A1 R. Brauner
A1 R. Rappaport
A1 D. Lallemand
YR 1989
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/10/3/511.abstract
AB The posterior lobe of the pituitary gland was studied by MR imaging in 30 children without pituitary gland disease and compared with studies from a group of 13 children with central diabetes insipidus, including eight cases of primary diabetes insipidus and five cases of diabetes insipidus secondary to suprasellar tumors (four proved germinomas, one still unknown tumor). Two components in the sella turcica were identified in all 30 children without pituitary gland disease, and the posterior lobe was identified as a high-intensity structure on T1-weighted images. In all 13 patients with diabetes insipidus, the normal hyperintense signal of the posterior hypophysis was absent on T1-weighted images. Three patients with suprasellar tumors presented with a progressively enlarging pituitary stalk on follow-up. Our findings show that absence of the normal hyperintense signal of the posterior lobe is closely related to a loss of function of the neurohypophysis. Size or signal modification of the pituitary stalk should suggest the development of a suprasellar tumor.