Discrimination between pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma using MRI-based image features and texture features.

Abstract

To investigate differences between pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with image features and three-dimensional texture features. A total of 126 patients diagnosed with pituitary adenoma (N = 63) or craniopharyngioma (N = 63) were enrolled. Qualitative magnetic resonance (MR) image features and texture features of tumors were extracted from preoperative MRI and evaluated using chi-square test or Mann-Whitney U test. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to assess their abilities as independent diagnostic predictors, and ROC analyses were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic value of significant features. Mann-Whitney U test and ROC analyses were performed to explore the relationship between MR image features and texture features. Five MR image features were suggested to be significantly different between pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma. Three texture features from contrast-enhanced T1WI (HISTO-Skewness, GLCM-Contrast and GLCM-Energy), two texture features from T2WI (HISTO-Skewness and GLCM-Contrast) showed significant differences between two types of tumors. Logistic regression analyses suggested GLCM-Energy from contrast-enhanced T1WI, HISTO-Skewness and GLCM-Contrast from T2WI could be taken as independent predictors. Moreover, HISTO-Skewness and GLCM-Contrast from T2WI were found to be significantly related to cystic change. MR image features and texture features were associated with each other, and both types of features represented feasible diagnostic value in discrimination between pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma.