Controlled pathological study and preoperative MRI evaluation of the consistency of pituitary adenomas

Objective: Consistency of pituitary adenoma may influence surgical remote of the tumor. Preoperative evaluation of tumor consistency will be useful in guiding the operative approach. This study was designed to investigate the relationship among pituitary adenoma consistency, collagen type I and MRI signal intensity.

Methods: Twenty pituitary adenoma patients received transsphenoidal surgery. Preoperative MRI, H-E stains and collagen type I immunohistochemistry(IHC)-autonomic image analysis for tumor specimens were performed

Results: Ten tumors were soft, mean T2WI tumor/while matter signal intensity ratio (TWSIR) is 17.38%; six were moderate, mean T2WI TWSIR was 2.01; and 4 were firm, mean T2WI TWSIR was 1.56. Mean collagen type I positive area ratio(CIPAR) of soft, moderate, and firm tumors was 17.38%, 27.30%, and 40.31%, respectively. Both C1PAR and T2WI TWSIR were significantly different among three types (P < 0.01) C1PAR was negatively correlated to T2WI TWSIR(P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Collagen type I content relates with the consistency of pituitary adenomas. MRI can predict of pituitary consistency adenoma; and those show hypointensity in T2WI are firm.