Diagnostic Performance of GRASP DCE-MRI and SMS-RESOLVE DWI for Postoperative Assessment of Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors

Motivation: Postoperative evaluation of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) is challenging, as conventional contrast-enhanced MRI struggles to differentiate residual tumor tissue from surgical changes. Goal(s): This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of GRASP DCE-MRI and SMS-RESOLVE DWI in detecting and characterizing residual PitNETs, emphasizing sensitivity and quantitative analysis. Approach: In a prospective study of 30 postoperative PitNET patients, two radiologists independently analyzed images, with quantitative perfusion analysis performed using the Tofts model. Results: GRASP DCE-MRI detected residual tumors as small as 0.2 cm with high accuracy, while SMS-RESOLVE matched CE-T1WI's diagnostic performance for tumors ≥0.9 cm without contrast agents. Impact: This study highlights GRASP DCE-MRI and SMS-RESOLVE DWI as advanced tools that improve the detection and monitoring of postoperative residual PitNETs, providing reliable non-contrast imaging options and potentially guiding improved clinical decision-making.