Concomitant pituitary adenoma and Rathke's cleft cyst

We reviewed the clinical, radiological and surgical findings in patients with both pituitary adenoma and Rathke's cleft cyst. We retrospectively selected patients with both lesions from the 374 patients in whom a sellar/juxtasellar lesion was detected on MRI at 1.5 tesla. All patients received intravenous contrast medium. Concomitant pituitary adenoma and Rathke's cleft cyst were found in eight patients (2.1 %). The frequency of the combination was 3.5 % of pituitary adenomas and 11 % of Rathke's cleft cysts. Symptoms were always due to the adenoma, secreting adrenocorticotrophin in two patients and growth hormone in six. The adenoma was larger in five patients, and the cyst in three. The cysts gave variable signal. The adenoma was adjacent to the cyst in seven patients, and enclosed it in the other patient. As a result of experience with MRI, concomitant pituitary adenoma and Rathke's cleft cyst are now known not to be as rare as thought previously. When a nonenhancing cyst-like structure is demonstrated in a patient with pituitary adenoma, the possibility of a coexisting Rathke's cleft cyst should be considered. Received: 23 March 2000/Accepted: 12 July 2000     

Rathke囊肿的CT和MRI诊断

目的:分析Rathke囊肿之CT及MRI表现.材料和方法:回顾性分析7例(男3例,女4例,平均年龄32.4岁)经手术病理证实的Rathke囊肿的CT及MRI表现.结果:7例Rathke囊肿中,单纯位于鞍内者3例,直径均小于1.2cm;鞍内鞍上者4例,直径均大于1.2cm.CT及MRI表现根据囊液成分的不同变化多样,增强扫描一般无增强,囊壁极少钙化.结论:垂体Rathke囊肿术前较难明确诊断,仔细分析其CT及MRI表现,有助于提高本病的正确诊断率.     

Atypical Rathke's cleft cyst associated with ossification.

We report a case of symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst with ossification. CT scans showed curvilinear calcification on the wall of the cyst. MR images revealed a cystic sellar lesion with a nodular solid mass extending to the floor of the third ventricle. This case shows that calcification of the suprasellar cyst does not always suggest craniopharyngioma. Rathke's cysts should be histologically differentiated from craniopharyngiomas because their treatments are different.     

Rathke's cleft cyst with pituitary apoplexy: case report

We report a Rathke's cleft cyst which presented as pituitary apoplexy, a rare presentation. A 46-year-old woman suffered sudden headache and visual loss. T1-weighted MRI 3 weeks after this apoplectic episode demonstrated a cystic lesion between the anterior and posterior lobes of the pituitary, with some high-signal material layering in it. The mass showed spontaneous regression on an image 3 weeks later. Trans-sphenoidal surgery confirmed the diagnosis of a Rathke's cleft cyst with a haematoma within it. Received: 30 September 1998 Accepted: 5 February 1999     

MR imaging findings of Rathke's cleft cysts: significance of intracystic nodules

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rathke's cleft cysts often may be difficult to differentiate from other intrasellar or suprasellar masses on radiologic studies. The purpose of this study was to describe the significance of intracystic nodules, a diagnostic characteristic found in Rathke's cleft cysts, on MR images. METHODS: A retrospective review of MR studies was conducted for 13 patients who, after pathologic analysis, were diagnosed as having Rathke's cleft cyst. These patients underwent unenhanced and contrast-enhanced T1- and T2-weighted axial and coronal spin-echo sequential imaging. The signal intensity and incidence of the intracystic nodules on T1- and T2-weighted images were analyzed. The signal intensity of the nodule was compared with that of white matter and surrounding cyst fluid. The signal intensity of cyst fluid was compared with the intraoperative appearance of the cyst fluid. Biochemical and pathologic analyses of the intracystic nodules were conducted in two cases. RESULTS: An intracystic nodule having high signal intensity on T1-weighted images and low signal intensity on T2-weighted images was observed in 10 (77%) of the cases. At surgery, intracystic nodules were yellow, waxy, solid masses. Pathologic analysis showed this nodule to be a mucin clump. Biochemical analysis of the intracystic nodules showed cholesterol and proteins as the main constituents. In the Rathke's cleft cyst with intracystic nodules, cyst fluid revealed low signal intensity to isointensity relative to the intensity of the nodules on T1-weighted images, and isointensity to high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Intracystic nodules were clearly visible on T2-weighted images. CONCLUSION: Because cyst fluid of Rathke's cleft cysts shows variable intensities on MR images, the specific diagnosis is often difficult when based on MR signal intensity values alone. The presence of an intracystic nodule with characteristic signal intensities on MR images may be indicative of the diagnosis of Rathke's cleft cyst.     

MRI in the diagnosis of Rathke's cleft cyst

PURPOSE: Rathke's cleft cysts are non neoplastic lesions of the sellar area that seldom are symptomatic. Their incidence has been underestimated before magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of this work was to assess the value of MRI in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Rathke's cleft cyst based on a retrospective review of 12 cases and a review of the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the MRI features of 12 patients with Rathke's cleft cyst collected over 4.5 years. Patients included ten females and two males (mean age: 39 years). The most common presentation was the association of dysmenorrhea and pituitary dysfunction. MRI examinations were performed using a 1.5 Tesla system, T1 and T2 weighted sequences performed before and after Gd- DTPA injection. Signal intensity, shape, size and location of the lesion were analyzed. RESULTS: In all cases, MRI examination showed a cystic lesion of variable size and signal intensity. The cyst was purely intrasellar in nine cases and a suprasellar extension was noted in three cases. Five patients underwent surgery providing pathological confirmation, four underwent routine follow-up and three were lost of follow-up. CONCLUSION: We conclude that MRI is an efficient tool for diagnosis, allowing appropriate medical decision making.     

Characteristics of Rathke's cleft cyst in MR imaging.

PURPOSE: Symptoms, macroscopic appearances and microscopic findings of Rathke's cleft cysts with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Patients and METHODS: We analyzed the data from 31 patients with pathologically confirmed Rathke's cleft cysts. MR appearances were evaluated on T1WI, T2WI and contrast T1WI. Symptoms, macroscopic appearances and pathological findings were obtained from available medical records. We analyzed the images according to the following criteria: 1. findings on the location and shape of the lesions and form of the lesional wall; 2. the relationship between the maximum diameter of the lesions and symptoms; 3. the relationship between MR and macroscopic appearance; 4. the sites of adjacent contrast enhancement. RESULTS: The lesions were located mostly in both the intrasellar and suprasellar regions for a total of 87%. All lesions revealed either an oval or dumbbell shape with a smooth lesional wall. When correlated with physical symptoms, asymptomatic cases were associated with smaller lesions, while visual disturbances and dizziness were associated with relatively larger lesions. MR lesion signal intensity was related to the content of macroscopic appearance to some degree: the selected lesions showed shortening of T1 and T2 relaxation times in relation to the increase in protein concentration. This should have been macroscopically reflected in the color and turbidity of the liquid within the cyst. Adjacent contrast enhancement around the lesion was found at various sites, but anterior enhancement was most frequent. Circumferential enhancement was revealed to be derived from inflammatory changes. CONCLUSION: Rathke's cleft cyst exhibits a varied MR signal. It may be difficult to differentiate from craniopharyngioma from the intensity alone.     

MR appearance of Rathke's cleft cysts

Summary Two of three patients who proved to have symptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts presented with visual field deficit and all with diabetes insipidus. CT showed intra- and suprasellar cystic low density lesions with ring enhancement. MR showed intra-and suprasellar masses. On the T1-weighted images two of the three had hyperintense portions similar to fat and the other a hyperintense portion similar to white matter within the cysts. These portions were isointense to brain on the T2-weighted images in all cases. This characteristic intensity on MR images provides differentiation from cystic pituitary adenomas and cystic craniopharyngiomas, and leads to correct diagnosis of Rathke's cleft cyst.     

Imaging of large Rathke's cleft cysts by CT and MRI: report of two cases

Two patients with large Rathke's cleft cysts in the sella turcica and suprasellar region presented with visual impairment and hypopituitarism. The entirely different CT and MRI appearances of the two cysts were thought to depend principally on the protein content of the cyst fluid.     

Hyperprolactinemia: an unusual manifestation of suprasellar cystic lesions

Two patients with suprasellar cysts and hyperprolactinemia are described. These lesions were diagnosed by CT metrizamide cisternography. Suprasellar cysts are a rare cause of pathologic hyperprolactinemia, which most commonly results from pituitary adenomas. Tissue diagnosis revealed suprasellar arachnoid cysts in the first patient and Rathke's cleft cyst in the second. The differential diagnosis of suprasellar cysts is presented, and distinguishing radiographic characteristics are discussed.     

MRI of pituitary abscess: two cases and review of the literature

Pituitary abscesses, rare lesions, may be divided into primary and secondary types. Primary pituitary abscesses occur within a previously healthy gland, while secondary abscesses arise within an existing lesion, such as an adenoma, craniopharyngioma, or Rathke's cleft cyst. Secondary abscesses share radiologic characteristics with the lesions from which they arise. There has been no review of the MRI characteristics of primary pituitary abscesses. We report two cases and review the literature. The typical primary pituitary abscess gives the same or slightly lower signal than brain on T1-weighted images, and could be mistaken for a solid mass or presumed to represent a pituitary adenoma. Contrast-enhanced images are useful, demonstrating absence of central enhancement, suggesting a fluid or necrotic center. In one of our cases, meningeal enhancement was obvious; this has not been reported previously and may be diagnostic, when associated with a rim-enhancing pituitary mass. Received: 29 February 1996 Accepted: 26 July 1996     

垂体Rathke氏囊肿的MRI诊断

目的 :探讨MRI诊断垂体Rathke氏囊肿的价值。材料和方法 :收集经病理证实的垂体Rathke氏囊肿的病例共18例 ,均行常规及增强MRI检查 ,其中 9例加扫反转恢复 (IR)序列。结果 :所有 18例Rathke氏囊肿MRI均显示鞍内或向鞍上发展的圆形或椭圆形肿物。 5例伴有液平面形成。病变直径小于 1cm者 4例 ;1～ 3cm者 12例 ;大于 3cm者 2例。MR呈短T1信号者 14例 ,其中长T2 9例 ,短T2 5例 ;MR呈长T1长T2信号者 4例。增强扫描 ,其中有 7例于囊肿边缘出现环形强化。囊壁病理学检查结果显示 ,17例为单层立方或柱状上皮细胞 ,其中 2例含有杯状细胞 ;1例混有假复层鳞状上皮细胞 ;1例合并有嗜酸性细胞垂体腺瘤。结论 :MRI对于本病的诊断和鉴别诊断有一定的价值。     

鳃裂囊肿的多层螺旋CT诊断价值探讨

目的 分析鳃裂囊肿的多层螺旋CT表现,探讨多层螺旋CT对鳃裂囊肿的诊断价值,以提高术前诊断的准确性。方法 回顾性分析经手术和病理证实的12例鳃裂囊肿患者的临床及CT资料,12例均行CT平扫和增强检查。结果 本组12例中3例为第一鳃裂囊肿,9例第二鳃裂囊肿,本组无第三、四鳃裂囊肿病例。鳃裂囊肿CT表现为囊性低密度影,囊壁薄,囊内密度均匀,边界清晰,周围组织受压移位。结论 多层螺旋CT检查可以清晰显示鳃裂囊肿的部位、大小、形态及其与周围组织结构的关系,易于做出准确诊断。多平面重组图像可以更加全面直观显示病变,为临床治疗特别是术前制定手术方案提供准确信息。     

Papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis to a branchial cleft cyst: a case report and review of imaging

Branchial cleft cysts are the most common lesions in the lateral neck with ectopic thyroid tissue found only rarely within these cysts. Over the years, multiple cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma arising from these ectopic thyroid tissues have been described in the literature with these cases sharing a normal thyroid gland on surgical and histological evaluation. Recently, however, there are three cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma in a branchial cleft cyst reported to be the result of metastasis from a thyroid primary. We present a 49-year-old female with a rare case of papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis to a branchial cleft cyst with imaging characteristics that may prospectively suggest metastatic involvement.     

鳃裂囊肿的CT诊断

目的：探讨鳃裂囊肿的CT表现及鉴别诊断。方法：收集手术病理证实的鳃裂囊肿12例，分析其CT表现并结合文献进行讨论。结果：根据Bailey的分型，本组12例中属Ⅰ型有5例，Ⅱ型有7例。表现为边界清晰、密度均匀的囊样肿块。结论：CT可显示囊肿的部位、大小及范围，结合临床特点可作出诊断。     

Rathke cleft cysts: correlation of enhanced MR and surgical findings.

PURPOSETo describe the gadolinium-enhanced MR findings of Rathke cleft cyst correlate them with the surgical findings, and define those preoperative findings that differentiate this lesion from other sellar and juxtasellar tumors.METHODSWe studied 18 patients who were diagnosed as having Rathke cleft cyst pathologically. These patients were imaged with T1- and T2-weighted coronal and sagittal spin-echo sequences. Fifteen of these patients received gadopentetate dimeglumine.RESULTSIn eight patients, the cyst showed low intensity on T1-weighted images and high intensity on T2-weighted images. At surgery, the cyst fluid was cerebrospinal fluid-like or light brown in five patients, motor oil-like in one patient, and milky in two patients. In 10 patients, cysts showed isointensity to high intensity on T1-weighted images and had various intensity on T2-weighted images. All 10 contained milky fluid. In three patients the intensity of fluid was heterogeneous. A waxy nodule was found in two patients. The position of the normal pituitary gland confirmed by surgery in all cases coincided with enhancement on MR imaging. The variable position of the normal pituitary gland was clearly identified in the sagittal images. The cyst walls showed no enhancement by gadopentetate dimeglumine.CONCLUSIONSBecause Rathke cleft cysts show variable intensities on MR, the diagnosis is often difficult when based on MR signal intensity values alone. MR imaging with gadopentetate dimeglumine does assist in the diagnosis of Rathke cleft cysts. Diagnostic clues include the lack of cyst wall enhancement and displacement of the normal pituitary gland.     

Dissection of gas into an intraspinal synovial cyst from contiguous vacuum facet

Intraspinal synovial cysts probably originate from herniation of synovium through a weakened facet joint capsule. The computed tomographic (CT) findings of such lesions were recently reported. An additional characteristic is gas within the cyst as demonstrated by CT. We postulate the source to be an adjacent diseased facet joint with a vacuum cleft with consequent dissection of gas into the cyst.     

Spontaneously T1-hyperintense lesions of the brain on MRI: a pictorial review

In this work, the brain lesions that cause spontaneously hyperintense T1 signal on MRI were studied under seven categories. The first category includes lesions with hemorrhagic components, such as infarct, encephalitis, intraparenchymal hematoma, cortical contusion, diffuse axonal injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural and epidural hematoma, intraventricular hemorrhage, vascular malformation and aneurysm, and hemorrhagic neoplasm. The second category includes protein-containing lesions, such as colloid cyst, craniopharyngioma, Rathke's cleft cyst, and atypical epidermoid. The third category includes lesions with fatty components, such as lipoma, dermoid, and lipomatous meningioma. Lesions with calcification or ossification, such as endocrine-metabolic disorder, calcified neoplasm, infection, and dural osteoma, constitute the fourth category, whereas the fifth category includes lesions with other mineral accumulation, such as acquired hepatocerebral degeneration and Wilson disease. The sixth category includes melanin-containing lesions, such as metastasis from melanoma and leptomeningeal melanosis. The last category is the miscellaneous group, which includes ectopic neurohypophysis, chronic stages of multiple sclerosis, and neurofibromatosis type I. The above-mentioned lesions are presented with their typical T1-hyperintense images, and the underlying reasons for those appearances in magnetic resonance imaging are discussed.     

Second branchial cleft cyst with "cyst-within-cyst" appearance

A 68-year-old female consulted our hospital, complaining of a large mass on the left side of the neck. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the characteristic internal architecture of the mass, in which a small cyst was located within a cystic mass, showing a "cyst-within-cyst" appearance. A final diagnosis of second branchial cleft cyst was made pathologically. A "cyst-within-cyst" appearance is not usually seen in a second branchial cleft cyst. This appearance may be attributed to several fine-needle aspiration biopsies for diagnostic purposes.     

Not the typical Tornwaldt's cyst this time? A nasopharyngeal cyst associated with canalis basilaris medianus

We report a patient with a cystic structure in the nasopharynx mimicking a Tornwaldt's cyst, which was felt to represent a different entity owing to the lack of the distinct features of a typical Tornwaldt's cyst. It was associated with a bony cleft in the basiocciput that was considered to be a canalis basilaris medianus (CBM), thought to represent an embryological vestige of the cephalic end of the notochord along its course within the basiocciput.