1. Infantile hypopituitarism: etiological variability evidenced by MRI.
- Author
-
Smet, M., Zegher, F., Vanderschueren-Lodeweyckx, M., and Marchal, G.
- Abstract
In this study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to document potentially present morphostructural abnormalities of the hypothalamopituitary region in seven infants (age 0-21 months) who presented very early in life with clinical and biochemical evidence of hypopituitarism. Four infants had associated congenital cerebro-facial malformations. The following anatomical abnormalities were identified in variable combinations: ectopic neurohypophysis absence of the pituitary stalk, extreme elongation of the pituitary stalk, aplasia of the anterior pituitary lobe and no identification of the hypothalamopituitary complex. MRI proved to be very sensitive in the identification of structural malformations of the hypothalamopituitary region in infants with or without cerebro-facial malformations. AllhwuLll the magnetic resonance image does not appear to be a good predictor of endocrine dysfunction, it provides us more insight into the precise aetiology of this disorder and may be therefore of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1992
- Full Text
- View/download PDF