title: MRI evaluation of the diaphragmal opening: using MRI parallel to the transsphenoidal surgical approach.
abstract: Twenty-six adult diaphragma sellae and infundibulae were examined by MRI parallel to the transsphenonidal surgical plane with attention given to the diaphragmal opening. The diaphragmal opening was observed in 11 cases (42.3%). The anteroposterior diame ter of the opening ranged from 4.0 to 14.0 mm (mean 8.8 mm), and the lateral diameter ranged from 6.0 to 14.0 mm (mean 9.5 mm). In the cases of open diaphragma sellae, the infundibulum tended to be located in the posterior part of the diaphragma sellae but this was not statisticallysignificant. On MRI parallel to the transsphenoidal surgical approach, the anatomy of the dia phragma sellae was well evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan. nomunomu@earthlink.net
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashima
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology