CT of the pituitary gland in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) is an autosomal dominant disease involving tumors of the parathyroid, pancreas, and pituitary glands. Over 50% of the patients with this syndrome will have involvement of the pituitary gland. Computed tomography (CT) of the head was performed in 21 of 42 patients with the clinical diagnosis of MEN-1. CT demonstrated pituitary abnormalities in 15 patients, 13 of whom had pituitary endocrine dysfunction. The most common endocrinopathy was hyperprolactinemia, documented in nine patients. Hypopituitarism due to nonfunctional adenoma was found in two patients, and acromegaly and Cushing disease in individual cases. The appearance of the pituitary gland in CT evaluation of the sella in patients with MEN-1 is presented.