PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - M Maghnie
AU  - M Aricò
AU  - A Villa
AU  - E Genovese
AU  - G Beluffi
AU  - F Severi
TI  - MR of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
DP  - 1992 Sep 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 1365--1371
VI  - 13
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/13/5/1365.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/13/5/1365.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.1992 Sep 01; 13
AB  - PURPOSE To describe the MR findings in the hypothalamic pituitary area in children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis and to define those MR alterations especially associated with the risk of developing diabetes insipidus.METHODS The hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal axis was studied by sagittal and coronal 1.5 T1-weighted MR imaging in 14 children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (five with diabetes insipidus) and in 28 low-stature controls, ages 6-14 years.RESULTS The pituitary stalk was thicker in seven/14 patients (three with diabetes insipidus) than in controls (P less than .05). Bright posterior pituitary signal was undetectable in children with diabetes insipidus and in one/9 without diabetes insipidus.CONCLUSIONS Thickening of the hypothalamus and/or the pituitary stalk in the absence of the posterior pituitary bright signal is seen in children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis with overt diabetes insipidus. Those Langerhans cell histiocytosis patients without diabetes insipidus but showing thickened stalk with or without posterior pituitary bright signal could be at high risk to develop diabetes insipidus.