PITUITARY-STALK AND ECTOPIC HYPERINTENSE-T(1) SIGNAL ON MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING - IMPLICATIONS FOR ANTERIOR-PITUITARY DYSFUNCTION

Objective.-To determine if improved delineation of hypothalamic-pituit ary neuroanatomy by magnetic resonance imaging, especially the posteri or pituitary hyperintense T1 signal, can be correlated with anterior a nd posterior pituitary endocrine function. Design.-Children with ectop ic posterior pituitary tissue were identified at the Endocrine Clinic of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (Pa) and their records were r eviewed. Participants.-Ten children with ectopic posterior pituitary t issue. Measurements.-Anterior pituitary hormone status, determined by standard testing, was correlated with the morphologic anomalies of the hypothalamic-pituitary region on magnetic resonance imaging. Results. -Patients were categorized by the appearance of the pituitary stalk ba sed on the magnetic resonance image: attenuation of the stalk (group 1 ) or nonvisualization of the stalk (group 2). Patients in group 1 reta ined partial anterior pituitary function. Patients in group 2 had panh ypopituitarism. Conclusion.-Prospective evaluation of affected individ uals may provide insight into the pathophysiologic mechanisms of idiop athic hypopituitarism.