Idiopathic anterior hypopituitarism: magnetic resonance imaging and clinical correlation.
We describe the anatomical abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary region revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 10 patients, 8 men and 2 women, affected by idiopathic anterior hypopituitarism (IAH). In all cases contiguous sagittal and coronal T-1 weighted images were obtained. In 9 patients the high-intensity posterior lobe was missing, in almost all patients the pituitary stalk was thin and/or transected, and in 8 a bright T-1 nodule was detected at the infundibular apex, near the tuber cinereum, in the median eminence. None had diabetes insipidus. MRI proves to be very useful in understanding the etiopathogenesis of IAH.
Proto
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Servizio di Endocrinologia, Ospedale Generale di Udine, Italy.
Mazzolini
A
A
Grimaldi
F
F
Bertolissi
F
F
Pozzi-Mucelli
R S
RS
Magnaldi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000473:pathology*; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000097:blood
D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior