Pituitary Microadenomas MRI

Micoradenomas, on MRI imaging, can be seen best by using a pre and post contrast gadolinium enhanced study detailed to the pituitary gland.  Dynamic imaging of the pituitary gland can increase the sensitivity of seeing the microadenoma in some instances.  This article shows some studies related to the sensitivity and specificity of the dynamic imaging.  http://www.endocrinology.org/education/resource/summerschool/2004/ss04/ss04_byr.htm
Many of these patients will present with some kind of metabolic or hormonal imbalance, including, but not limited to:  absence of menstruation, lactating breast, breast development in males, any many other hormone regulated problems.  I have included some imaging of a patient with a microadenoma on the right side of the patients pituitary gland, displacing the infundibulum slightly to the patients left.  I have also included a dynamic image showing the actual absence of contrast enhancement as the pituitary gland enhances.

T1 Coronal pre contrast

T1 Coronal post contrast

T1 Sagital pre contrast

T1 Sagital post contrast

Dynamic Coronal about 30 seconds post injection