Evaluation of Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Profile of Pituitary Macroadenoma: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Pituitary macroadenoma is a common tumor of middle-aged people. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the investigation of choice for its evaluation. Various parameters regarding the extent, consistency, and contrast uptake can be studied and a noninvasive diagnosis is possible.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study the MRI features and extent of pituitary macroadenomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied clinical and MRI features of 33 patients of all age groups and both sexes with pituitary macroadenomas who presented to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana from January 2014 to June 2015. MRI was carried out on MAGNETOM Avanto 18 Channel 1.5 Tesla Machine by Seimens India Ltd. The dedicated sellar protocol consisted of sagittal and coronal T1-weighted image (TI-WI) and T2-WI without intravenous contrast using thin slices (3 mm) and a field of view of <200 mm.

RESULTS: On analysis of the 33 cases, we observed that patients of pituitary macroadenoma showed an almost equal sex incidence and average age group of 50-60 years. The common presenting complaints were headache and decreased vision. Superior and inferior extent of the lesion was beyond the defined boundaries of sella in most cases, but the lateral extent was limited, resulting in characteristic "snowman-like" appearance. The imaging characteristics showed solid to predominantly solid consistency, appearing mostly heterogeneously hyperintense on T2-WI, and hypo to isointense on T1-WI with intense postcontrast enhancement. Hemorrhage is less common. Pituitary apoplexy is rare and can result in spontaneous resolution.

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the knowledge of clinical and imaging profile of pituitary macroadenoma can help the radiologists to diagnose these sellar lesions, and hence their therapeutic approach can be defined timely.