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T2-weighted MRI signal intensity as a predictor of hormonal and tumoral responses to somatostatin receptor ligands in acromegaly: a perspective

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Abstract

T2-weighted MRI signal intensity of GH-secreting pituitary adenomas is gaining recognition as a marker of disease characteristics and may be a predictor of response to treatment of acromegaly. Adenomas that are T2-hypointense are more common, are smaller and are less likely to invade the cavernous sinus compared to the T2-iso and hyperintense tumors. T2-hypointense tumors are also accompanied by higher IGF1 values at baseline. When presurgical somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) therapy is administered, T2-hypointense adenomas have better hormonal responses and have greater tumor shrinkage. Adjuvant SRL therapy of patients with T2-hypointense tumors that are uncured by surgery is also associated with a better hormonal response. We review the studies that have dealt with the T2-weighted signal intensity of GH-secreting pituitary tumors and elaborate on the details and nuances of this promising avenue of research.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Adrian Daly for discussions about the topic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Université de Liège, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Iulia Potorac, Albert Beckers & Jean-François Bonneville

  2. Department of Neuroradiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Université de Liège, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Jean-François Bonneville

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  1. Iulia Potorac
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  2. Albert Beckers
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  3. Jean-François Bonneville
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Correspondence to Albert Beckers or Jean-François Bonneville.

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Potorac, I., Beckers, A. & Bonneville, JF. T2-weighted MRI signal intensity as a predictor of hormonal and tumoral responses to somatostatin receptor ligands in acromegaly: a perspective. Pituitary 20, 116–120 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-017-0788-8

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