PURPOSE Pituitary adenomas are common CNS tumors that can cause endocrine dysfunction due to hormone oversecretion and by mass effect on the normal gland. The study of pituitary adenomas and adjacent sellar anatomy with high-resolution 7 T MRI may further characterize endocrine dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of 7 T MRI in identifying radiological markers for endocrine function. METHODS MR images obtained in 23 patients with pituitary adenomas were reviewed by consensus between three neuroradiologists. Landmarks and criteria were devised to measure radiological features of stalk, tumor, and normal gland. Fischer's exact tests and nominal logistic regression were performed. RESULTS Mean cross-sectional area of the stalk just below the infundibular recess was 6.3 ± 3.7 mm2. Mean curvature and deviation angles were 34.2° ± 23.2° and 29.7° ± 17.3°, respectively. Knosp scores obtained differed between 7 T and lower field strength scans (P < 0.0001 [right] and P = 0.0006 [left]). Ability to characterize tumor was rated higher at 7 T compared with lower field MRI, P = 0.05. Confidence in visualizing normal gland was also higher using 7 T MRI, P = 0.036. The six hormone-secreting tumors had higher corrected T2 mean SI than non-secreting tumors (2.54 vs. - 0.38, P = 0.0196). Seven patients had preoperative hypopituitarism and had significantly greater stalk curvature angles than patients without hypopituitarism (71.7° vs. 36.55°, P = 0.027). CONCLUSION Radiological characterization of pituitary adenomas and adjacent native pituitary tissue may benefit with the use of 7 T MRI. Corrected T2 SI of tumor may be a sensitive predictor of hormonal secretion and may be useful in the diagnostic work-up for pituitary adenoma. 7 T MRI may be valuable in identifying markers of endocrine function in patients with pituitary adenomas. Our results indicate that hormone-secreting tumors have higher T2-weighted SI and tumors associated with preoperative hypopituitarism have greater stalk curvature angles.

中文翻译：

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垂体腺瘤患者的肿瘤T2信号强度和柄的角度与内分泌状态相关：一项定量7 tesla MRI研究。

目的垂体腺瘤是常见的中枢神经系统肿瘤，由于荷尔蒙分泌过多和对正常腺体的质量影响，可引起内分泌功能障碍。高分辨率7 T MRI对垂体腺瘤和邻近的蝶鞍解剖的研究可能进一步表征内分泌功能障碍。这项研究的目的是确定7 T MRI识别内分泌功能的放射学标记物的功效。方法通过三位神经放射科医生的共识对23例垂体腺瘤患者的MR图像进行回顾。设计了地标和标准来测量茎，肿瘤和正常腺体的放射学特征。进行了Fischer的精确检验和名义Logistic回归。结果刚好在漏斗状凹陷下方的茎杆平均横截面积为6.3±3.7 mm2。平均曲率和偏角分别为34.2°±23.2°和29.7°±17.3°。在7 T和较低的场强扫描之间获得的节状得分有所不同（P <0.0001 [右]和P = 0.0006 [左]）。与较低视野的MRI相比，在7 T时具有较高的表征肿瘤的能力，P = 0.05。使用7 T MRI观察正常腺体的信心也更高，P = 0.036。六个分泌激素的肿瘤的校正T2平均SI值高于非分泌肿瘤（2.54对-0.38，P = 0.0196）。七名术前垂体功能低下的患者和茎曲率角明显高于无垂体功能低下的患者（71.7°vs. 36.55°，P = 0.027）。结论垂体腺瘤和邻近的天然垂体组织的放射学特征可能会受益于7 T MRI。校正的肿瘤T2 SI可能是激素分泌的敏感预测指标，可能对垂体腺瘤的诊断检查有用。7 T MRI对垂体腺瘤患者的内分泌功能标志物可能有价值。我们的结果表明，分泌激素的肿瘤具有更高的T2加权SI，与术前垂体功能低下相关的肿瘤具有更大的茎弯曲角。