Pituitary adenoma CT

On head CT scan may be helpful in the diagnosis of pituitary adenoma. Findings on CT scan suggestive of pituitary adenoma include a large suprasellar mass that invade surrounding structures, calcification, and rarely hemorrhage.

• Historically, before the advent of MRI, the pituitary was imaged with CT scan.
• Although CT scan is able to detect up to 80-90% of microadenomas (5-10mm in size), it has less sensitivity to smaller adenomas (less than 5mm in size).^[1]

• A large suprasellar mass that typically characterized by:^[2]

• An attenuation similar to that of the brain (30-40 HU)
• Moderate contrast enhancement
• Invasion of the surrounding structures

• Calcification and hemorrhage are rarely seen.

• 
  Large hyperdense sellar mass extending into the suprasellar region and causing displacement of surrounding structures. ^[3]
• 
  Large hyperdense sellar mass extending into the suprasellar region and causing displacement of surrounding structures. ^[3]
• 
  There is a well defined round isodense lesion noted in the pituitary fossa, the lesion is widening the sella.^[4]
• 
  There is a well defined round isodense lesion noted in the pituitary fossa, the lesion is widening the ^[4]