A brain magnetic resonance imaging study of pituitary gland morphology in anorexia nervosa and bulimia

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was used to examine the morphology and dimensions of the pituitary gland in 18 patients with eating disorders (8 anorectics and 10 bulimics), in comparison with 13 healthy volunteers. None of the 18 patients with anorexia or bulimia had any radiological evidence suggestive of pituitary macroadenoma, cyst, or empty sella. Measurements revealed that the anorectics and bulimics had smaller pituitary gland cross-sectional areas (p less than 0.05) and smaller pituitary gland heights, compared with healthy controls. These preliminary findings in anorectics and bulimics are suggestive of pituitary atrophy secondary to nutritional or endocrine alterations, rather than a primary pituitary pathology.