Resumo

HERNANDEZ YERO, José Arturo  e  JORGE GONZALEZ, Raquel. Reflection on imaging diagnosis of sellar masses. Rev Cubana Endocrinol [online]. 2005, vol.16, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-2953.

Some reflections were made on imaging diagnosis of sellar masses, specifying some characteristics of the main sellar masses and their appearance in magnetic resonance imaging. The purpose was to call the attention on this important issue on the basis that modern imaging advances offer very useful distinctive elements in the diagnosis of a group of masses located in the sella turcica region. The paper underlined details of signal intensity in pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, Rathke´s pouch cysts, hypophysial hyperplasia and the so-called empty sella syndrome, among other causes of anatomical changes in sellar region. It was concluded that magnetic resonance imaging would be the ideal method for a better diagnosis of sellar masses, but if this technique was not available, then contrast-enhanced tomography would be useful in under 2 mm views. The importance of a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, endocrinologists, imaging specialists, neurosurgeons and anatomy pathologists to reach more accurate diagnosis and better therapeutic results was stressed.

Palavras-chave : sella turcica; sellar mass; magnetic resonance imaging; pituitary adenoma.