RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of lesions in the sellar region.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The MRI data of 142 patients with surgically and pathologically proved lesions in the sellar region were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the MRI findings, the lesions were divided into pituitary adenoma and sellar region diseases except pituitary adenoma. According to the pathologic features, the sellar region diseases except pituitary adenoma were further divided into cystic lesions, parenchymatous lesions, and cystic and parenchymatous lesions.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of these 142 patients, pituitary adenoma was found in 30 cases, cystic lesions of sella region diseases except pituitary adenoma in 24. Further classification resulted in 66 cases of parenchymatous lesions and 22 cases of cystic and parenchymatous lesions.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MRI-based classification of lesions in the sellar region is useful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.</p>