Pituitary Gland

Clinical presentation:

A normal pituitary gland on CT.

The Images

Features in the Image

This CT image illustrates the infundibulum, the pituitary gland, and the optic chiasm in the coronal plane.

Other Teaching Points

A pituitary tumor (adenoma) can easily compress the optic chiasm as it enlarges. Because the nasal optic nerve fibers cross at the chiasm, while the temporal optic nerve fibers do not, compression of the nasal fibers leading to the nasal aspect of the eyeball will effect the temporal visual fields of each eye. Nasal visual fields (innervated by the temporal optic nerve fibers) are uneffected. This condition of loss of both temporal visual fields is termed bitemporal hemianopsia or "severe tunnel vision".

Diagnosis

Normal pituitary gland in a healthy patient.
Forward to Case 14: Macroadenoma (Prolactinoma)

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