The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland located in the brain. Specifically, it is located above a bony cavity called the Turkish saddle. It is closely linked to the brain center – the hypothalamus. It has a very important secretory and regulatory function concerning many hormones that affect other organs (such as the thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries or testes).
Impaired functioning of this gland negatively affects the entire body, it can be dwarfism, which is associated with hypothyroidism of the above-described gland, while hyperactivity will cause the opposite effect – gigantism, and even affect earlier sexual maturation.
Other disorders include hyperprolactinemia, (the cause of which may be a pituitary tumor secreting prolactin), Nelson’s syndrome, Kallman’s syndrome, Cushing’s disease and many others. In people in whom pituitary pathology is suspected, a magnetic resonance (MR) scan is very often performed.
What are the indications for pituitary magnetic resonance imaging?
- suspected malignant process of the pituitary gland (e.g., adenoma)
- abnormal hormonal results (growth hormone, prolactin, ACTH, TSH, FSH or lutropin),
- suspected Cushing’s disease
- menstrual disorders,
- infertility diagnosis,
- Searching for the causes of gynecomastia and many others.
Pain, swelling, restriction of mobility or numbness may be considered by a doctor as symptoms that require the use of a modern diagnostic test such as an MRI of the elbow joint. It allows detection and evaluation of many injuries and conditions, such as:
- degenerative disease,
- The so-called tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow,
- compression neuropathies,
- tendon and ligament damage,
- Synovitis and soft tissue inflammation,
- Neoplastic lesions – benign and malignant.
How should I prepare for a pituitary MR study?
During an MRI scan of the pituitary gland, a contrast agent must be administered to accurately evaluate it. The examination itself is non-invasive and painless.
What are the contraindications to pituitary MRI?
The main contraindication is for the patient to be free of any metal components that may be in the subject’s body – this does not apply to implants, prostheses and other implanted materials that do not exhibit ferromagnetic properties, meaning that they are permitted for MR examination. Very often, patients who have metal components implanted also have a passport that describes what they are made of and whether they are approved for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.