MRI diagnosis of pituitary abscess and its clinical significance / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the MR features of pituitary abscess.Methods The MR features of 14 cases of pituitary abscess proved by surgical pathology and clinical treatments were analyzed retrospectively.Results Pre-contrast MR showed hypointense heterogeneous intensity on T_1 WI in 12 cases and iso-hyperintense on T_1 WI in 2 cases,hyperintense on T_2 WI in all cases.Post-gadolinium MR showed the ring-like enhancement around the uneven edge of abscess and the surrounding enhanced meninges connecting to the focus.The normal pituitary could not be identified in all 14 cases.The MR specific findings include the fluid-fluid level,nodule on the edge and the enhanced patchy shadow.Conclusions The pituitary abscess has specific findings on MR examination,which can be used to combine with clinical symptoms to achieve the diagnosis before operation,so that the cases could be treated with antibiotic without operation.