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Topic

design image
Tuber cinereum

The tuber cinereum is a crucial gray matter structure located on the ventral surface of the hypothalamus, forming part of the floor of the third ventricle. It extends between the optic chiasm and the mammillary bodies and gives rise to the infundibulum (pituitary stalk). The tuber cinereum plays a major role in hypothalamic-pituitary hormonal regulation and autonomic function, making its identification important in neuroimaging and endocrine pathology.

Synonyms

  • Hypothalamic tuber

  • Floor of the third ventricle (inferior hypothalamic region)

  • Median eminence (functionally related, but not identical)

Function

  • Gives rise to the infundibulum (pituitary stalk)

  • Contains the median eminence, which regulates hormone release to the pituitary gland

  • Participates in autonomic and endocrine regulation

  • Involved in appetite, thirst, and circadian rhythm control

MRI Appearance

  • T1-weighted Imaging:

    • Isointense to adjacent gray matter

    • No discrete borders from surrounding hypothalamus

    • Difficult to delineate unless abnormality is present

  • T2-weighted Imaging:

    • Isointense to slightly hyperintense compared to gray matter

    • Usually blends with neighboring structures, and the tuber cinereum is not individually outlined unless there is pathology

  • FLAIR:

    • Isointense to gray matter

    • May show increased signal if there is edema, tumor, or inflammation

  • Post-Contrast T1-weighted Imaging:

    • No enhancement in normal conditions

    • Enhancement occurs only with abnormal processes (e.g., tumor, inflammation, or infiltrative diseases)

CT Appearance

  • Appears as a gray matter density at the floor of the third ventricle

  • Not individually visualized on non-contrast CT

  • No enhancement under normal conditions

MRI images

tuber cinereum mri 3t coronal image