[Spontaneous hyperintensity of the anterior pituitary gland in MRI T1-weighted images related to manganese deposits in a patient undergoing prolonged parenteral nutrition].

The signal abnormalities found on MRI in the basal ganglia in patients with an increased plasmatic level of manganese are well known. We report a case with a hyperintense signal in a patient with a high plasmatic level of manganese due to long term parenteral nutrition. The normal signal intensity of T2-weighted imaging in the anterior pituitary gland helps to differentiate the increased signal intensity of T1 weighted imaging due to deposition of manganese from hemorrhagic or fatty lesions.