Pediatric Rathke Cleft Cyst

  • Etiology: non-neonplastic cyst arising from remnants of squamous epithelium of Rathke’s cleft / pars intermedia of adenohypophysis
  • Imaging: usually located between pars anterior and pars posterior, intra/suprasellar cyst without calcification or enhancement, variable cyst content – mucous (T1 bright), serous (T1 dark) and possible blood products (T2 dark), usually less than 3 mm in diameter, +/- small intracystic nodules
  • DDX: pituitary microadenoma
  • Complications:
  • Treatment: none
  • Clinical: normal variant

Radiology Cases of Rathke Cleft Cyst

MRI of Rathke cleft cyst
Sagittal T1 MRI with contrast of the sella shows an oval non-enhancing lesion located between the anterior and posterior aspects of the pituitary gland.