M. Sumida et al., DISPLACEMENT OF THE NORMAL PITUITARY-GLAND BY SELLAR AND JUXTASELLAR TUMORS - SURGICAL-MRI CORRELATION AND USE IN DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS, Neuroradiology, 36(5), 1994, pp. 372-375
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology,Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging",Neurosciences
We compared the position of the normal pituitary gland as estimated by
gadolinium (Gd)-DTPA-enhanced MRI, with its position at surgery in 40
patients with intra- and juxtasellar tumours: 22 pituitary adenomas,
4 craniopharyngiomas, 7 meningiomas, 2 germinomas, and 5 Rathke cleft
cysts. In 37 of these, the normal gland showed more intense contrast e
nhancement than the adjacent tumour, from which it could be differenti
ated by Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI, especially in the sagittal plane. The di
rection of displacement of the normal pituitary gland correlated well
with tumour type, so that its position proved helpful in the different
ial diagnosis. The normal gland was typically displaced superiorly by
pituitary adenomas, inferiorly by craniopharyngiomas, and anteriorly b
y germinomas. It showed variable displacement by Rathke cleft cysts, a
nd was not usually displaced by meningiomas.