Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Posterior pituitary appears hyperintense in T1 series in the sagittal section of magnetic resonance imaging. We report a case whose posterior pituitary magnetic resonance images could be evaluated as microadenoma.

Case report: A 20-year-old woman evaluated in Gynecology for oligomenorrhae. Serum prolactin was 27 ng/dl. Magnetic resonance imaging of pituitary showed a nodular lesion in the left measured 3 mm in diameter and hyperintense in T2 series which could not be distinguished from artifactial lesion. She was referred to Endocrinology. Pituitary hormonal function was normal. We decided to follow-up. After three months magnetic resonance imaging of pituitary showed a nodular lesion in the posterior of the left measured 6 mm in diameter and hyperintense in T1 series. The lesion was taking more contrast than adenoma and was not like cystic lesion that was hypointense in T1 series. The appearance of the lesion could be interfered with fat tissue, sphenoid bone or partial volume artifact.

The fat-suppressed images were taken. There was no contour lobulation of pitıitary and there was no change with dynamic series. The lesion was not observed in the posterior. We took axial section and evaluated the lesion as posterior pituitary.

Conclusion: We report a case of posterior pituitary which was asymmetric and thickened and localized in the left parasagittal section. This localization caused pseudonodular appearance in the middle when surrounded with normal pituitary.

Pituiary microadenoma can be suspicious. Some anatomical variations contribute to these images. Patients may have unnecessary evaluation for a long period.