MR Imaging of Central Diabetes Insipidus: A Pictorial Essay

  • Ji Hoon Shin (Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Ho Kyu Lee (Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Choong Gon Choi (Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Dae Chul Suh (Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Chang Jin Kim (Department of Neurosurgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Sung Kwan Hong (Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Dong Gyu Na (Department of Radiology , Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2001.03.28
  • Accepted : 2001.07.30
  • Published : 2001.12.31

Abstract

Central diabetes insipidus (DI) can be the outcome of a number of diseases that affect the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal axis. The causes of the condition can be classified as traumatic, inflammatory, or neoplastic. Traumatic causes include postoperative sella or transection of the pituitary stalk, while infectious or inflammatory causes include meningitis, lymphocytic hypophysitis, and granulomatous inflammations such as sarcoidosis and Wegener's granulomatosis. Various neoplastic conditions such as germinoma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, metastasis, leukemic infiltration, lymphoma, teratoma, pituitary adenoma, craniopharyngioma, Rathke cleft cyst, hypothalamic glioma, and meningioma are also causes of central DI. In affected patients, careful analysis of these MR imaging features and correlation with the clinical manifestations can allow a more specific diagnosis, which is essential for treatment.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We are very grateful to Bonnie Hami, M.A., of the Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of Cleveland (U.S.A.), for her editorial assistance.

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