The value of CT for the diagnosis of pituitary microadenomas in children.

Three cases of prepuberal hypopituitary dwarfism regarded as idiopathic, are reported. In two of them the skull X-rays showed questionable minimal alterations of the sella turcica; in the remaining child the examination was completely negative. All three children were found to have a pituitary intrasellar microadenoma on the CT scan. The diagnosis was confirmed during surgery. The postoperative followup demonstrated the relation of the lesion with growth retardation and the indication for surgical treatment.