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The empty sella and pituitary adenomas
Author(s) -
Bjerre P.,
Gyldensted C.,
Riishede J.,
Lindholm J.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1982.tb03131.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pituitary adenoma , pituitary apoplexy , sella turcica , empty sella syndrome , infarction , rhinorrhea , radiology , hydrocephalus , pituitary gland , adenoma , surgery , myocardial infarction , pathology , hormone
In 44 consecutive patients with sellar volume larger than 1100 mm 3 , computer tomography showed that 20 had an empty or partly empty sella. None had radiological evidence of a suprasellar tumor. 10 of the 20 patients had experienced episodes with acute neurological symptoms presumably reflecting a pituitary apoplexy. It is suggested that an unknown proportion of intrasellar adenomas may disappear as a result of an infarction, which may comprise the entire adenoma or part of it ‐ leaving an empty or partly empty sella as diagnosed by computer tomography. Air encephalography will demonstrate the empty sella only if the diaphragmatic aperture is large enough to allow cisternal herniation. The infarction may present clinically with no, slight or severe acute neurological symptoms. Late consequences of a pituitary adenoma infarction may be rhinorrhea or hydrocephalus.