Radiological assessment of intrasellar prolactin-secreting tumors

In this study, the value of high resolution computed tomography (CT) in defining prolactin-secreting intrasellar tumors was compared to the value of conventional hypocycloidal polytomography. In all cases, contrast-enhanced coronal CT images were capable of defining these tumors by the demonstration of abnormal dimensions, upward convexity, or regional low density areas in the pituitary gland. The focal regions of decreased density and contrast enhancement correlated consistently with the prolactin-secreting microadenoma location found during surgical removal. Polytomography was not as effective as CT in the diagnostic differentiation of these adenomas.