Abstract
Purpose To evaluate preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria for their ability
to predict the complete removal of parasellar pituitary macroadenoma on the 3-month
postoperative MRI.
Methods Dedicated pre- and postoperative pituitary MRI studies were reviewed in 49 patients
who had undergone transsphenoidal surgery for macroadenomas with potential unilateral
parasellar involvement. Twelve preoperative MRI findings and postoperative MRI outcomes
were statistically compared.
Results Depiction of the inferolateral (positive predictive value [PPV]: 0.6; negative predictive
value [NPV], 0.92) and lateral (PPV: 0.65; NPV: 0.85) compartments of the cavernous
sinus and the percentage of intracavernous carotid artery encasement (PPV: 0.63; NPV,
1.0 for <50% encasement) were the only criteria significantly predictive of parasellar
tumor complete resection. The odds ratios indicated that depiction of the lateral
venous or inferolateral venous compartments increased the likelihood of a complete
resection by 6 times, whereas for every 25% reduction in intracavernous carotid artery
encasement, the chance of a complete resection increased 3.4 times.
Conclusion The preoperative MR imaging features that are useful in predicting the complete removal
of the parasellar component of a pituitary adenoma as assessed by postoperative MRI
are (1) depiction of the lateral and inferolateral compartment of the cavernous sinus
and (2) decreasing encasement of the intracavernous carotid artery.
Keywords
magnetic resonance imaging - pituitary - macroadenoma - postoperative