Abstract
Objective: To discuss the diagnostic imaging findings of an empty sella in a chiropractic patient with emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of normal and abnormal pituitary appearances. Clinical Features: A 44-year-old woman started having headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea after an argument with her boyfriend. She had been treated for acute torticollis for three weeks when the new symptoms began. Consultation with an internist led to an MRI examination of the cerebellopontine angles to exclude an acoustic neuroma. The MRI demonstrated an enlarged empty sella. There was no history of pituitary tumor or other sellar disease. Intervention and Outcome: There was complete remission of the symptoms after 1 additional dizzy spell that occurred 3 days after the initial symptom. No intervention was performed, but the stress levels in her life had been reduced. Conclusion: An enlarged empty sella can be present without symptoms and can represent an incidental finding on radiography and MRI. However, an enlarged sella seen on lateral cervical spine radiographs should prompt further evaluation to rule out pituitary disease. The normal pituitary has a varied appearance and signal intensity on MRI depending on the patient's age and pregnancy status. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999;22:478–82)
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
