Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Fig 1.
A 15-month-old girl with a history of trauma and type 1 CPC. A, Sagittal CT reconstruction shows the classic appearance of a small incidental CPC (arrow). Note its extent from the sella turcica to the roof of the nasopharynx. The spheno-occipital synchondrosis (dashed arrow) is visualized in its normal position posterior and inferior to the sella. B, Axial CT image shows well-corticated CPC (arrow) in the midline of the sphenoid body.
- Fig 2.
A 4-year-old boy with hypopituitarism and a type 2 CPC. A, Sagittal T1 MR image shows a medium-sized canal with ectopic, inferiorly displaced pituitary tissue (arrow). The AP diameter of this canal measured 3.5 mm. Note the normal spheno-occipital synchondrosis (dashed arrow). B, Coronal T1 MR image demonstrates soft tissue within the CPC (arrow). There is mild inferior displacement of the optic chiasm (dashed arrow) and infundibular recess of the third ventricle.
- Fig 3.
A 10-year-old boy with growth hormone deficiency and short stature with a type 3A CPC. A, Sagittal T1 MR image shows a large CPC containing a cephalocele with herniated adenohypophysis (arrow) and CSF. Note displacement of the infundibular recess of the third ventricle (dashed arrow). B, Sagittal T1 postcontrast MR image shows enhancement of the adenohypophysis (arrow), which, in our 4 type 3A canals, was invariably positioned along the posterior and/or inferior aspect of the cephalocele.
- Fig 4.
Two different patients with type 3 large CPCs containing tumor. A, Sagittal T1 MR image shows a large CPC containing portions of a T1 hyperintense dermoid (arrow) in a 30-year-old woman who presented with a nasopharyngeal mass. Note the associated cephalocele with herniated CSF and the adenohypophysis (dashed arrow). This is a type 3B CPC. B, Sagittal T1 postcontrast MR image in an 8-week-old girl who underwent imaging for a nasopharyngeal mass demonstrates a nasopharyngeal glioma (arrows), with mild enhancement extending into the suprasellar space through a large CPC (dashed arrows). This is a type 3C CPC.
- Fig 5.
Embryology of the normal pituitary gland. A, At 3–4 weeks of gestation, the neuroectodermal adherence develops at a point of contact between the diencephalon (neurohypophyseal anlage) and roof of the stomodeum (adenohypophyseal anlage). B, At 4–5 weeks, the neuroectodermal adherence migrates dorsally forming the adenohypophyseal (Rathke) pouch, while the diencephalon migrates dorsal to the stomodeum to assume the position of the future neurohypophysis. The adenohypophyseal pouch elongates forming a stalk at its ventral aspect at 5–6 weeks (not shown). C, At 6–7 weeks, the postsphenoid cartilage develops, which results in obliteration of the adenohypophyseal stalk. D, In this illustration of the infant pituitary gland and sella, a dotted line traces the path of the potential CPC, which is believed to arise from nonobliteration of the adenohypophyseal stalk. The spheno-occipital synchondrosis (illustrated in blue) does not close until approximately age 16 years and mimics the CPC in children. Graphic illustrations used with permission from Amirsys.
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