MRI of the head with and without contrast taken on February 25, 2010
Indication: Pituitary Adenoma
Comparison: [ ]
Findings: The pituitary is normal is size, however the neurohypophysis is situated to the right of midline. On the postcontrast scans there is a lesser degree of enhancement of the pituitary on the left this measures about 4 mm. The pituitary stalk appears normal and is in midline position. Cavernous sinus appears normal.
The lateral, third and fourth ventricles are normal size and position. The cerebral sulci and cerebellar folia appear norma. There are no foci of abnormal intracranial signal intensity. There are no masses or extra-axial fluid collections. The craniocervical junction appears normal without cerebellar tonsillar ectopia. No restricted diffusion. Normal flow void through both internal carotid arteries and basilar artery. Normal intracranial enhancement. Dural sinuses appear patent. The paranasal sinuses are clear. There is no abnormal signal intensity within the mastoid air cells.
Impression:
4mm suspected pituitary adenoma. It would be helpful to compare this examination to the prior MRI. Otherwise negative MRI of the head.
------ Well I did have a previous MRI with and without contrast from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. It was taken on September 3, 2008, but it wasn't available to the new MD.
MRI of the head with and without contrast taken on September 3, 2008.
MRI of the head without and with contrast with special attention to the sella. An approximate 4 mm zone of lower T1 signal both before and after contrast within the right pituitary gland. There is some asymmetry of the pituitary gland; however, this appears predominantly due to irregularity of the floor of the sella. This focus of signal change could well be artifactual, however, an adenoma cannot be totally excluded. There are a few tiny foci of increased T2 signal in the white matter of both cerebral hemispheres, which are non-specific for areas of degeneration, ischemia, or demyelination. No evidence of abnormal contrast enhancement.
I was told by the Mayo that they were 100% positive that this was not causing any of my symptoms. I did not even know what a pituitary microadenoma was until I was done with the Mayo Clinic, but after coming home and reading about it, I realized that it covered so many of the symptoms and problems I had been talking about over the last 5 years. I broke my nose in a wrestling match (which required surgery) and have had horrible problems ever since with everything from anxiety, depression to shaking like a bobblehead doll in the cold. Thanks!