DIABETES-INSIPIDUS DUE TO HYPOPHYSITIS

Central diabetes insipidus is a chronic disorder which in most patient s occurs secondary to tumor, infection, trauma or other lesions. In ab out 20-30% of patients etiology is unclear, however a destructive auto immune process in the hypophysis may play a role. We report the case o f an 18-year-old girl with central diabetes insipidus. Vasopressin lev els were typically decreased. Examinations performed 1.5 years after m anifestation showed no pathologic changes on MRI and no additional end ocrine disorder. MRI was repeated 1.5 years later whereon a thickening of the pituitary stalk as a typical sign of hypophysitis was apparent . No other reasons could be found for the vasopressin deficiency, The finding of hypophysitis in our patient 3 years after disease manifesta tion suggests that the characteristic MRI changes may take as long as 3 years to become apparent.