title: Assessment of pituitary micro-lesions using 3D sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to explore the value of three-dimensional sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions (3D-SPACE) sequence in assessment of pituitary micro-lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coronal 3D-SPACE as well as routine T1- and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) T1-weighted images of the pituitary gland were acquired in 52 patients (48 women and four men; mean age, 32 years; age range, 17-50 years) with clinically suspected pituitary abnormality at 3.0 T, retrospectively. The interobserver agreement of assessment results was analyzed with K-statistics. Qualitative analyses were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was good interobserver agreement of the independent evaluations for 3D-SPACE images (k = 0.892), fair for routine MR images (k = 0.649). At 3.0 T, 3D-SPACE provided significantly better images than routine MR images in terms of the boundary of pituitary gland, definition of pituitary lesions, and overall image quality. The evaluation of pituitary micro-lesions using combined routine and 3D-SPACE MR imaging was superior to that using only routine or 3D-SPACE imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 3D-SPACE sequence can be used for appropriate and successful evaluation of the pituitary gland. We suggest 3D-SPACE sequence to be a powerful supplemental sequence in MR examinations with suspected pituitary micro-lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhenwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059906:Neuroimaging; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult