Empty sella

Case contributed by Ian Bickle
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

MRI brain performed following advise of radiologist, regarding a sella abnormality identified at the time of MRI neck for a thyroid malignancy.

Patient Data

Age: 60 years
Gender: Female
mri
This study is a stack
Axial
T1
This study is a stack
Axial
T2
This study is a stack
Sagittal
T1
This study is a stack
Coronal
T2
This study is a stack
Coronal
T1
This study is a stack
Coronal T1
C+ fat sat
This study is a stack
Axial T1
C+ fat sat
This study is a stack
Sagittal
T1 C+
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Info

The sella is empty and enlarged.

The sella contains fluid of CSF signal.  The infundibulum ( best seen on contrast images ) traverses the sella, without displacement.

Case Discussion

The pituitary fossa is enlarged and empty containing merely CSF.

The infundibulum traverses the fossa without displacement indicating no mass within - the so called infundibulum sign.

Findings in keeping with an empty sella - asymptomatic in this case, as it very often the case.

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