ABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the MRI imaging feature and the clinical feature of pituicytoma. Methods The clinical data and imaging feature of 10 patients with pituicytoma who were proved histologically were retrospectively studied. Visual disturbances disorder and headache were the main complaints of all patients. One patient had sexual function decline. All patients were given the examination of MRI and showed saddle area were occupied. Results Most of pituicytoma was circular or oval morphologically. Pituicytoma located at suprasellar region in 4 patients, in the sellar in 2 patients and over the sellar region in 4 patients.In them, cystic change occured in 1 patient. In most of the cases, the tumor showed isointensity on T1WI, isointensity or slightly hyperintensity on T2WI. After injection of contrast medium, the tumor showed homogeneous enhancement in early stage. Pathological markers:S-100, and vimenlin indicated 100%positive;glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), synaptophysin (SYN) and epithelial membrane antigen(EMA) indicated 50% positive. Six patients′serum endocrine function test:the levels of serum total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) had different degrees of reduction in 4 patients, and these index were normal in 2 patients. Conclusions On MRI, pituicytoma has certain characteristics which might help clinical diagnosis combined with the clinical manifestation and endocrine function tests.