title: Imaging of giant pituitary adenomas.
abstract: We present five proven giant pituitary adenomas studied by CT and MRI, and review the clinical and imaging findings. Our aim was to examine the radiologic appearances and to search for criteria useful in distinguishing these tumors from other sellar and suprasellar tumours, mainly craniopharyngioma. The main differences from small adenomas were high prevalence of macrocysts, a more invasive behaviour and a clinical picture dominated by mass effect rather than endocrine disturbance. Factors supporting the diagnosis of pituitary adenoma in a giant intra- and suprasellar mass include: infrasellar extension, absence of calcification and presence of low-signal cysts on T1-weighted images.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Diagnòstic per la Imatge, Hospital Duran i Reynals, Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Majós
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aguilera
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Acebes
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pons
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed