ABSTRACT
Objective ToexploretheMRIfeaturesofgrowthhormonedeficiency(GHD)inchildrenwithshortstaturecausedby pituitarylesions,inordertoimprovethediagnosticlevelofthesediseases.Methods MRIandclinicaldataof624patientsofGHD withshortstaturecausedbypituitarylesionswereretrospectivelyanalyzed.Results Inshortstaturecausedbypituitarylesions,there were383caseswithanteriorpituitarydysplasia(61.4%);49casesofpituitarystalkinterruptionsyndrome(PSIS)(7.9%);16cases ofpituitaryhyperplasiaduetoprimaryhypothyroidism (2.6%);41casesofRathkecleftcyst(6.6%);74casesofemptysellasyndrome(11.9%);17 casesofpituitaryinvasionbyLangerhanscellhistiocytosis(2.7%);2casesofsellarregionalarachnoidcyst(0.3%);and42casesof craniopharyngioma(6.7%).MRIshowedtheheightofanteriorpituitarywaslessthannormal,andthelocation,sizeandsignalsof posteriorpituitaryandpituitarystalkwerenormalinanteriorpituitarydysplasia.Noorthinpituitarystalk,anteriorpituitaryhypoplasiawith ectopicposteriorpituitarywereseeninPSIS.Allofthepituitaryhyperplasiawerecausedbyhypothyroidism,inwhich MRIshowed anteriorpituitaryenlargement,upwardapophysis,obvioushomogeneousenhancement,nopituitarystalkinterruptionandabnormal signal,andthepituitaryglandreducinginsizeafterreplacementtherapy.Stalkhypophysialwasthickeningtogetherwithadisappearanceof hyperintenseoftheposteriorlobeofpituitaryglandonT1,andthesizeandsignalsofanteriorpituitarywerenormalinpituitarybeing invadedbyLangerhanscellhistiocytosis.AtrophyofanteriorpituitarywasseeninRathkecleftcyst,emptysellasyndrome,sellarregionalarachnoid cystandcraniopharyngioma.Conclusion MRIcanclearlyshowtheanatomyofpituitaryandsellarregion,whichcanprovideamorphological referencefortheearlydiagnosisanddifferentialdiagnosisofGHDinchildrenwithshortstaturecausedbypituitarylesions,andisof clinicallyimportantfortreatmentandprognosis.