Apparent diffusion coefficient of pituitary macroadenoma evaluated with line-scan diffusion-weighted imaging

Abstract

Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate the consistency of pituitary macroadenoma using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with line-scan diffusion-weighted imaging (LSDWI). Methods Patients with pituitary macroadenoma ( n = 19) were studied prospectively. The LSDWI was performed using a maximum b factor of 1000 s/mm 2. The consistency of macroadenoma was rated as soft, intermediate or hard at transsphenoidal surgery. The ADC values of tumors were compared with the tumor-consistency ratings. Results A soft consistency was found at surgery in 13 patients (mean ADC: 0.84 ± 0.1 × 10 −3 mm 2/s); an intermediate consistency was observed in six patients (mean ADC: 0.81 ± 0.16 × 10 −3 mm 2/s). No tumors of hard consistency were found. There was no significant difference in ADC values between tumors of soft consistency compared with tumors of intermediate consistency ( P = 0.37). Conclusions A relationship between tumor consistency and the ADCs of soft and intermediate macroadenomas was not shown in this study using LSDWI.