Pituitary Lesions

Macroadenoma

The above image is a coronal coned down view of the region of the sella turcica on a MRI scan. Note the large space occupying mass extending into the suprasellar cistern and effacing the optic chiasm. This caused visual symptoms in this young women who was acromegalic. This macroadenoma (pituitary adenoma 1 cm or larger) also extends laterally into the cavernous sinus.

Microadenoma

The above image is a coronal coned down view of the region of the sella turcica on a CT scan. Note the small region of decreased contrast enhancement in the normal sized pituitary gland. The lesion is only a few millimeters in size and is a microadenoma (pituitary adenoma less than 1 cm) in this young woman who presented with galactorrhea and an elevated serum prolactin level. Note how the suprasellar region and optic chiasm are normal.