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Neuroimaging of aggressive pituitary tumors

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Abstract

Aggresssive pituitary tumors are defined as radiologically invasive, exhibiting a rapid growth and a poor response to the medical and surgical treatment options. The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is fundamental to assess tumor aggressiveness before surgical exploration. Distinction between cavernous sinus invasion and cavernous sinus compression is often challenging and cannot be solved always by using the Knosp criteria. Ideally, T2W images demonstrating the ruptured internal dural wall of cavernous sinus is the ultimate proof of cavernous sinus invasion. Subtle tumor volume increase in a short time can be shown when sequential MR images are rigorously replicable. A microcystic pattern observed on T2W images frequently reflects a potentially aggressive tumor as observed in silent corticotroph pituitary adenomas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology and Medical Imaging CHU Sart Tilman, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium

    J. F. Bonneville

  2. Department of Endocrinology CHU Sart Tilman, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium

    J. Potorac & A. Beckers

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  1. J. F. Bonneville
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  2. J. Potorac
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  3. A. Beckers
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Correspondence to J. F. Bonneville.

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Bonneville, J.F., Potorac, J. & Beckers, A. Neuroimaging of aggressive pituitary tumors. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 21, 235–242 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-020-09557-6

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