Magnetic resonance imaging of sellar and juxtasellar abnormalities: atypical findings of common diseases and typical findings of rare diseases.

The sellar/juxtasellar region comprises the bone component of the sella turcica, pituitary gland, cavernous sinus, and suprasellar cistern. Abnormalities in this region can be attributed to underproduction or overproduction of hormones or to the neurological signs and symptoms resulting from the compression of adjacent structures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently the imaging method of choice, having supplanted computed tomography. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the common and uncommon imaging aspects of sellar and juxtasellar changes, which could facilitate the differential diagnosis. We retrospectively evaluated the MRI scans of 70 patients with sellar/juxtasellar abnormalities from didactic files, and report those with more unusual changes, where MRI played an important role in diagnosis. All cases were confirmed histologically or clinical laboratory.

Anormalidades selares e justasselares: achados na ressonância magnética atípicos de doenças comuns e típicos de doenças incomuns / Magnetic resonance imaging of sellar and juxtasellar abnormalities: atypical findings of common diseases and typical findings of rare diseases

Resumo A região selar/justasselar abrange o componente ósseo da sela turca, a glândula hipofisária, o seio cavernoso e a cisterna suprasselar. As alterações dessa região podem se manifestar por consequência de hipoprodução ou hiperprodução hormonal ou por sinais e sintomas neurológicos decorrentes da compressão de estruturas adjacentes. A ressonância magnética (RM) é, atualmente, o método de avaliação por imagem de eleição para o estudo dessa região, tendo suplantado a tomografia computadorizada. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo demonstrar aspectos comuns e incomuns de imagem dessas alterações selares/justasselares que auxiliem no diagnóstico diferencial. Avaliamos, retrospectivamente, as imagens de RM de 70 pacientes com anormalidades selares/justasselares do arquivo didático e relatamos os casos com alterações mais incomuns, em que a RM teve papel importante no diagnóstico. Todos os casos foram confirmados histopatologicamente ou clinicolaboratorialmente.

Abstract The sellar/juxtasellar region comprises the bone component of the sella turcica, pituitary gland, cavernous sinus, and suprasellar cistern. Abnormalities in this region can be attributed to underproduction or overproduction of hormones or to the neurological signs and symptoms resulting from the compression of adjacent structures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently the imaging method of choice, having supplanted computed tomography. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the common and uncommon imaging aspects of sellar and juxtasellar changes, which could facilitate the differential diagnosis. We retrospectively evaluated the MRI scans of 70 patients with sellar/juxtasellar abnormalities from didactic files, and report those with more unusual changes, where MRI played an important role in diagnosis. All cases were confirmed histologically or clinical laboratory.