PITUITARY MASS AND HOW MRI IS USED TO DIAGNOSE

Pituitary Mass And How MRI Is Used To Diagnose

Pituitary Mass And How MRI Is Used To Diagnose

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A technique used in diagnosis that combines radio waves and magnetic forces to produce detailed images of the internal structures of the body.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans

This test is similar to a CT scan, but uses magnetism instead of X-rays to build up a detailed picture of areas of your body. During the scan you will be asked to lie very still on the couch inside a long tube for about 30 minutes. It is painless but can be uncomfortable, and some people feel a bit claustrophobic during the scan. It is also noisy, but you will be given earplugs or headphones.

Pituitary Mass and its Diagnosis

Pituitary tumors are either secreting (producing hormones) or non-secreting tumors (not producing hormones). Secreting tumors can release excess amounts of any of the pituitary hormones, and are named after the hormone that is being over-produced, for example, a prolactin-secreting tumor.

Pituitary tumors are often discovered during a blood test. If high levels of pituitary hormones are found in your blood, your doctor may arrange for you to have a CT scan or MRI scan. The scans will normally be able to confirm whether a pituitary tumor is present or not.

CT (computerised tomography) scans

A CT scan takes a series of X-rays which build up a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body. The scan is painless but takes from 10-30 minutes. CT scans use a small amount of radiation, which will be very unlikely to harm you and will not harm anyone you come into contact with. You will be asked not to eat or drink for at least four hours before the scan.

Most people who have a CT scan are given a drink or injection to allow particular areas to be seen more clearly. This may make you feel hot all over. Before having the injection or drink, it is important to tell the person doing this test if you are allergic to iodine or have asthma.

The pituitary gland is a small oval-shaped gland found at the base of the brain, below the optic nerve (the nerve which leads to and from the eye). The pituitary gland produces hormones which control and regulate the other glands in the body. These glands release hormones that are responsible for the body's growth and metabolism. The pituitary gland is divided into two parts: the anterior (front) and posterior (back). Cells within the brain normally grow in an orderly and controlled way, but if for some reason this order is disrupted, the cells continue to divide and form a lump or tumor. A tumor may be either benign or malignant. Although a benign tumor can continue to grow, the cells do not spread from the original site. In a malignant tumor, the cells can invade and destroy surrounding tissue and may spread to other parts of the ...