Magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary gland.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a nonionizing, biologically safe imaging technique, is bringing the desired goal of directly imaging the pituitary gland very close to reality. The exquisite anatomic demonstration of the gland and hypophyseal stalk and the perisellar structures and the usefulness of tissue characterizations (T1 and T2 values) firmly establish the role of MRI in imaging of pituitary gland abnormalities, with the potential of becoming the procedure of choice.