Pituitary Stalk Interruption Syndrome

  • Etiology: Defective migration of pituitary gland during intra-uterine life
  • Imaging: Thin or truncated pituitary stalk
  • DDX:
  • Complications:
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical:
    — Associated with isolated growth hormone deficiency
    — Absent pituitary stalk associated with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies

Radiology Cases of Pituitary Stalk Interruption Syndrome

MRI of pituitary interrupted stalk syndrome
Sagittal (above) and coronal (below) T1 MRI without contrast of the sella shows absence of the pituitary stalk between the sella and the hypothlamus. In addition, the high signal intensity posterior pituitary bright spot, which should be located posteriorly in the sella turcica, is instead located in the inferior aspect of the hypothalamus.