Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Secondary adrenal insufficiency MRI
Introduction
Overview
Overview
MRI is the diagnostic imaging modality used in secondary adrenal insufficiency to assess hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. MRI findings suggestive of pituitary abnormality may include a mass suggesting a tumor or empty sella leading to hypopituitarism.
MRI
MRI
- MRI scan may show the following findings in cases of adrenal insufficiency due to hypopituitarism:[1]
- Decreased size of the pituitary gland
- Empty sella may be noticed in some cases
- Pituitary stalk may be visible, thin, or totally absent
- Posterior lobe of the pituitary may be absent
- Mass may appear in the pituitary
- Pituitary adenomas with a diameter >1cm are thought to be associated with secondary adrenal insufficiency when compared to microadenomas
- Ectopic posterior lobe of the pituitary gland may be observed in cases of pituitary dwarfism
- Infiltrative disorders such a sarcoidosis and histiocytosis may present as thickening of infundibulum[2]
- In central DI, T1 weighted MR shows absence of high internsity bright spot that is normally seen in posterior pituitary[3]
- Cystic lesions, such as Rathke’s cleft cysts may have
- A low-intensity signal on T1-weighted images
- A high-intensity signal on T2-weighted images
 |
 |
References
References
- ↑ Pozzi Mucelli, R. S.; Frezza, F.; Magnaldi, S.; Proto, G. (1992). “Magnetic resonance imaging in patients with panhypopituitarism”. European Radiology. 2 (1): 42–46. doi:10.1007/BF00714180. ISSN 0938-7994.
- ↑ Imashuku S, Kudo N, Kaneda S, Kuroda H, Shiwa T, Hiraiwa T, Inagaki A, Morimoto A (2011). “Treatment of patients with hypothalamic-pituitary lesions as adult-onset Langerhans cell histiocytosis”. Int. J. Hematol. 94 (6): 556–60. doi:10.1007/s12185-011-0955-z. PMID 22015494.
- ↑ De Herder WW, Lamberts SW (1995). “Imaging of pituitary tumours”. Baillieres Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 9 (2): 367–89. PMID 7625990.
- ↑ “File:Empty Sella MRT FLAIR sag 001.jpg – Wikimedia Commons”. Text “Hellerhoff ” ignored (help)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Iqra Qamar M.D.[2]