Skip to main content

Neuroimaging of the Human Hypothalamus

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Human Hypothalamus

Part of the book series: Contemporary Endocrinology ((COE))

  • 875 Accesses

Abstract

Multiplanar capability and superior tissue contrast differentiation render magnetic resonance (MR) imaging the preferred method of examination of lesions affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. MR imaging is the modality of choice for evaluating the anatomy and pathologic conditions of the hypothalamus. The MR imaging differential diagnosis of various hypothalamic disease entities relies on understanding the signal characteristics and postcontrast enhancement patterns. MR imaging features in addition to the patient’s demographics and clinical presentation will help the clinician to treat the patient appropriately.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Swaab DF, Hofman MA, Lucassen PJ, Purba JS, Raadsheer FC, Van de Nes JA. Functional neuroanatomy and neuropathology of the human hypothalamus. Anat Embryol (Berl). 1993;187(4):317–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Swaab DF. The human hypothalamus in metabolic and episodic disorders. Prog Brain Res. 2006;153:3–45.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bao AM, Swaab DF. The human hypothalamus in mood disorders: the HPA axis in the center. IBRO Rep. 2019;6:45–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Miller MJ, Mark LP, Yetkin FZ, Ho KC, Haughton VM, Estkowski L, et al. Imaging white matter tracts and nuclei of the hypothalamus: an MR-anatomic comparative study. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1994;15(1):117–21.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Saeki N, Sunami K, Kubota M, Murai H, Takanashi J, Iuchi T, et al. Heavily T2-weighted MR imaging of white matter tracts in the hypothalamus: normal and pathologic demonstrations. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2001;22(8):1468–75.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Fujii Y, Nakayama N, Nakada T. High-resolution T2-reversed magnetic resonance imaging on a high magnetic field system. Technical note. J Neurosurg. 1998;89(3):492–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Freeman JL, Coleman LT, Wellard RM, Kean MJ, Rosenfeld JV, Jackson GD, et al. MR imaging and spectroscopic study of epileptogenic hypothalamic hamartomas: analysis of 72 cases. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2004;25(3):450–62.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Gray H. Anatomy of the human body. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1918. Bartleby.com, 2000. Available at http://www.bertelby.com/107/. Accessed 15 Oct 2019.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Nauta WJ. Limbic system and hypothalamus: anatomical aspects. Physiol Rev Suppl. 1960;4:102–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Braak H, Braak E. Anatomy of the human hypothalamus (chiasmatic and tuberal region). Prog Brain Res. 1992;93:3–14; discussion -6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Braak H, Braak E. The hypothalamus of the human adult: chiasmatic region. Anat Embryol (Berl). 1987;175(3):315–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Saleem SN, Said AH, Lee DH. Lesions of the hypothalamus: MR imaging diagnostic features. Radiographics. 2007;27(4):1087–108.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Tsai SL, Laffan E. Congenital growth hormone deficiency - a review with a focus on neuroimaging. Eur Endocrinol. 2013;9(2):136–40.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Berkowitz F, Lee PJ, Martin AL, Martin MM. Enlargement of the proximal pituitary stalk associated with spontaneous recovery from multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2008;29(8):1601–2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Arita K, Kurisu K, Kiura Y, Iida K, Otsubo H. Hypothalamic hamartoma. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). 2005;45(5):221–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Freeman JL. The anatomy and embryology of the hypothalamus in relation to hypothalamic hamartomas. Epileptic Disord. 2003;5(4):177–86.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Arita K, Ikawa F, Kurisu K, Sumida M, Harada K, Uozumi T, et al. The relationship between magnetic resonance imaging findings and clinical manifestations of hypothalamic hamartoma. J Neurosurg. 1999;91(2):212–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Kurt G, Dogulu F, Kaymaz M, Emmez H, Onk A, Baykaner MK. Hypothalamic lipoma adjacent to mamillary bodies. Childs Nerv Syst. 2002;18(12):732–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Di Pietro P, Debbia C, Paola Fondelli M. Pediatric hypothalamic lipoma with hypothermia--case report. Brain Dev. 2004;26(1):61–2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Caldarelli M, Massimi L, Kondageski C, Di Rocco C. Intracranial midline dermoid and epidermoid cysts in children. J Neurosurg. 2004;100(5 Suppl Pediatrics):473–80.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ikushima I, Korogi Y, Hirai T, Sugahara T, Shigematsu Y, Komohara Y, et al. MR of epidermoids with a variety of pulse sequences. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1997;18(7):1359–63.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Indulkar S, Hsich GE. Spontaneous rupture of intracranial dermoid cyst in a child. Neurology. 2011;77(23):2070.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Voelker JL, Campbell RL, Muller J. Clinical, radiographic, and pathological features of symptomatic Rathke’s cleft cysts. J Neurosurg. 1991;74(4):535–44.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wenger M, Simko M, Markwalder R, Taub E. An entirely suprasellar Rathke’s cleft cyst: case report and review of the literature. J Clin Neurosci. 2001;8(6):564–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Byun WM, Kim OL, Kim D. MR imaging findings of Rathke’s cleft cysts: significance of intracystic nodules. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2000;21(3):485–8.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Sumida M, Uozumi T, Mukada K, Arita K, Kurisu K, Eguchi K. Rathke cleft cysts: correlation of enhanced MR and surgical findings. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1994;15(3):525–32.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Adamson TE. Craniopharyngiomas. Neurosurgery. 1996;39(5):1070–1.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Adamson TE, Wiestler OD, Kleihues P, Yasargil MG. Correlation of clinical and pathological features in surgically treated craniopharyngiomas. J Neurosurg. 1990;73(1):12–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Kollias SS, Barkovich AJ, Edwards MS. Magnetic resonance analysis of suprasellar tumors of childhood. Pediatr Neurosurg. 1991;17(6):284–303.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Sartoretti-Schefer S, Wichmann W, Aguzzi A, Valavanis A. MR differentiation of adamantinous and squamous-papillary craniopharyngiomas. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1997;18(1):77–87.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. MĂ¼ller HL. The Diagnosis and Treatment of Craniopharyngioma. Neuroendocrinology. 2020;110(9–10):753–66. https://doi.org/10.1159/000504512. Epub 2019 Nov 4. PMID: 31678973.

  32. Pusey E, Kortman KE, Flannigan BD, Tsuruda J, Bradley WG. MR of craniopharyngiomas: tumor delineation and characterization. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1987;149(2):383–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Matsutani M. Pineal germ cell tumors. Prog Neurol Surg. 2009;23:76–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Guedes BF, Souza MNP, Barbosa B, Frassetto FP, Lucato LT, Ono CR, et al. Intracranial germinoma causing cerebral haemiatrophy and hypopituitarism. Pract Neurol. 2018;18(4):306–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Mootha SL, Barkovich AJ, Grumbach MM, Edwards MS, Gitelman SE, Kaplan SL, et al. Idiopathic hypothalamic diabetes insipidus, pituitary stalk thickening, and the occult intracranial germinoma in children and adolescents. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997;82(5):1362–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Campagna M, Opocher E, Viscardi E, Calderone M, Severino SM, Cermakova I, et al. Optic pathway glioma: long-term visual outcome in children without neurofibromatosis type-1. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55(6):1083–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Delman BN. Imaging of pediatric pituitary abnormalities. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2009;38(4):673–98.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Johnsen DE, Woodruff WW, Allen IS, Cera PJ, Funkhouser GR, Coleman LL. MR imaging of the sellar and juxtasellar regions. Radiographics. 1991;11(5):727–58.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Schubiger O, Haller D. Metastases to the pituitary--hypothalamic axis. An MR study of 7 symptomatic patients. Neuroradiology. 1992;34(2):131–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Kastrup O, Wanke I, Maschke M. Neuroimaging of infections of the central nervous system. Semin Neurol. 2008;28(4):511–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Prayer D, Grois N, Prosch H, Gadner H, Barkovich AJ. MR imaging presentation of intracranial disease associated with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2004;25(5):880–91.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Kalra AA, Riel-Romero RM, Gonzalez-Toledo E. Lymphocytic hypophysitis in children: a novel presentation and literature review. J Child Neurol. 2011;26(1):87–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Gubbi S, Hannah-Shmouni F, Stratakis CA, Koch CA. Primary hypophysitis and other autoimmune disorders of the sellar and suprasellar regions. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2018;19(4):335–47.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Bathla G, Singh AK, Policeni B, Agarwal A, Case B. Imaging of neurosarcoidosis: common, uncommon, and rare. Clin Radiol. 2016;71(1):96–106.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Thakkar, R.S., Berkowitz, F. (2021). Neuroimaging of the Human Hypothalamus. In: Uwaifo, G.I. (eds) The Human Hypothalamus. Contemporary Endocrinology. Humana, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62187-2_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62187-2_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-62186-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-62187-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics