Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

A pituitary abscess showing high signal intensity on diffusion-weighted imaging

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Neurosurgical Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The utility of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for the diagnosis of intracranial abscesses has already been established. However, the use of DWI for pituitary abscesses has not been previously reported. We present a case of postoperative pituitary abscess in which T1-weighted and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a supra-sellar cystic mass, with the cyst contents showing high intensity on DWI. This case suggests that DWI is useful for the diagnosis of pituitary abscesses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Burdette JH, Elster AD, Ricci PE (1999) Acute cerebral infarction : quantification of spin-density and T2 shine-through phenomenon on diffusion-weighted MR images. Radiology 212:333–339

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Chen S, Ikawa F, Kurisu K, Arita K, Takaba J, Kanou Y (2001) Quantitative MR evaluation of intracranial epidermoid tumors by fast fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging and echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging. Am J Neuroradiol 22:1089–1096

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Desprechins B, Stadnik T, Koerts G, Shabana W, Breucq C, Osteaux M (1999) Use of diffusion-weighted MR imaging in differential diagnosis between intracerebral necrotic tumors and cerebral abscesses. Am J Neuroradiol 20:1252–1257

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ebisu T, Tanaka C, Umeda M, Kitamura M, Naruse S, Higuchi T, Ueda S, Sato H (1996) Discrimination of brain abscess from necrotic or cystic tumors by diffusion-weighted echo planar imaging. Magn Reson Imaging 14:1113–1116

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Holtas S, Geijer B, Stromblad LG, Maly-Sundgren P, Burtscher IM (2000) A ring-enhancing metastasis with central high signal on diffusion-weighted imaging and low apparent diffusion coefficients. Neuroradiology 42:824–827

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kim YJ, Chang KH, Song IC, Kim HD, Seong SO, Kim YH, Han MH (1998) Brain abscess and necrotic or cystic brain tumor: discrimination with signal intensity on diffusion-weighted MR imaging. Am J Roentgenol 171:1487–1490

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lai P, Ho J, Chen W, Hsu S, Wang J, Pan H, Yang C (2002) Brain abscess and necrotic brain tumor: discrimination with proton MR spectroscopy and diffusion-weighted imaging. Am J Neuroradiol 23:1369–1377

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Noguchi K, Watanabe N, Nagayoshi T, Kanazawa T, Toyoshima S, Shimizu M, Seto H (1999) Role of diffusion-weighted echo-planar MRI in distinguishing between brain abscess and tumour: a preliminary report. Neuroradiology 41:171–174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Park SH, Chang KH, Song IC, Kim YJ, Kim SH, Han MH (2000) Diffusion-weighted MRI in cystic or necrotic intracranial lesions. Neuroradiology 42:716–721

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Rogg JM, Tung GA, Anderson G, Cortez S (2002) Pituitary apoplexy : early detection with diffusion-weighted MR imaging. Am J Neuroradiol 23:1240–1245

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Tein RD, Felsbelg GJ, Friedman H, Brown M, MacFall J (1994) MR imaging of high-grade cerebral gliomas: value of diffusion-weighted echoplanar pulse sequences. Am J Roentgenol 162:671–677

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Tsuruda JS, Chew WM, Moseley ME, Norman D (1990) Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of the brain: value of differentiating between extraaxial cysts and epidermoid tumors. Am J Neuroradiol 11:925–931

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tung GA, Evangelista P, Rogg JM, Duncan JA (2001) Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of rim-enhancing brain masses : is markedly decreased water diffusion specific for brain abscess? Am J Roentgenol 177:709–712

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Warach S, Dashe JF, Edelman RR (1996) Clinical outcome in ischemic stroke predicted by early diffusion-weighted and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging: a preliminary analysis. Cereb Blood Flow Metab 16:53–59

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Yamasaki F, Kurisu K, Satoh K, Arita K, Sugiyama K, Ohtaki M, Takaba J, Tominaga A, Hanaya R, Yoshioka H, Hama S, Ito Y, Kajiwara Y, Yahara K, Saito T, Thohar MA (2005) Apparent diffusion coefficient of human brain tumors at MR imaging. Radiology 235:985–991

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Takeshi Takayasu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Takayasu, T., Yamasaki, F., Tominaga, A. et al. A pituitary abscess showing high signal intensity on diffusion-weighted imaging. Neurosurg Rev 29, 246–248 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-006-0021-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-006-0021-0

Keywords

Navigation