PERFUSION MRI IN NORMAL AND ABNORMAL PITUITARY-GLAND - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY

Perfusion MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the pituitary gland was performed in 20 healthy volunteers and 63 patients with various lesion s involving She pituitary gland. All patients underwent sequential con trast-enhanced MRI using spoiled gradient recalled sequences with high temporal resolution (7 seconds). Four pituitary areas (pituitary stal k, posterior lobe, postero-superior, and antero-inferior adenohypophys is) were tested with a selected region of interest. Maximal contrast p ercentual variation was calculated The timing of enhancement in normal patients matched perfectly with normal pituitary vascularization. Abn ormal timing in pathological condition was investigated. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1997.