Presentation
Adenohypophyseal insufficiency, prolonged amenorrhea, and hypoglycemic crises.
Patient Data
Thinning of the anterior pituitary lobe (adenohypophysis) with individualization of a thin strip pressed against the dorsum, less than 1 mm thick.
Normal thickness posterior pituitary lobe (neurohypophysis).
Residual pituitary parenchyma is enhanced after injection of contrast medium.
Case Discussion
Sheehan syndrome is a rare condition that leads to pituitary apoplexy and hypopituitarism 1. It occurs exclusively in postpartum women who suffer from significant blood loss and hypovolemic shock during or after childbirth, leading to the necrosis of anterior pituitary cells.
Diagnosis is frequently challenging and delayed. This case report examines a postpartum Sheehan syndrome marked by agalactia, severe hypoglycemia, and diminished serum levels of thyroid hormones, cortico-adrenal hormones, and gonadotrophins 3.
The diagnosis was confirmed through hypophyseal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 2.
MRI demonstrates thinning of the pituitary parenchyma in its anterior part with individualization of a thin strip pressed against the dorsum, compatible with late adenohypophysis necrosis, with preservation of the posterior pituitary gland.