Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis: skull radiographs and MRI

Neuroradiology. 1998 Feb;40(2):114-20. doi: 10.1007/s002340050550.

Abstract

We report the skull radiograph, CT and MRI findings in three patients with lymphocytic adenohypophysitis mimicking pituitary adenoma. All cases were associated with pregnancy. CT demonstrated a pituitary mass but did not differentiate lymphocytic adenohypophysitis from pituitary adenoma. The skull radiographs showed either a normal sella turcica or minimal abnormalities; they did not show ballooning or destruction. The MRI appearances were distinctive: relatively low signal on T1-weighted images; preservation of the bright posterior pituitary lobe despite the presence of a relatively large pituitary mass, less common in macroadenomas; marked contrast enhancement compared with pituitary macroadenomas; and dural enhancement adjacent to a pituitary mass.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / diagnosis
  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Pituitary Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Pituitary Gland, Anterior / pathology
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / diagnosis*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed