OBJECTIVE: To assess volumetric changes of pituitary prolactinomas, we applied a threshold-based segmentation algorithm in two patients during intramuscular bromocriptine treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tumor volumes were calculated from contiguous slices of a 3D GE sequence and from conventional SE images. RESULTS: After a single 50 mg i.m. bromocriptine administration, the prolactinoma volumes decreased by 25 and 35% within 7 and 11 days, respectively. Volume calculations from 3D GE images were more accurate than calculations from 3 mm 2D SE images, especially for smaller tumors. A decrease of prolactinoma size was paralleled by a decrease of serum prolactin levels and correlated with an improvement of visual field and endocrine function in both patients. The end of the bromocriptine effect was indicated by a reincreasing tumor volume, which was observed after 30 days in the first patients and after 43 days in the second patient. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that MR volumetry represents a useful tool to monitor changes of prolactinoma volume during bromocriptine treatment and may improve the clinical management of these patients.
OBJECTIVE: To assess volumetric changes of pituitary prolactinomas, we applied a threshold-based segmentation algorithm in two patients during intramuscular bromocriptine treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Tumor volumes were calculated from contiguous slices of a 3D GE sequence and from conventional SE images. RESULTS: After a single 50 mg i.m. bromocriptine administration, the prolactinoma volumes decreased by 25 and 35% within 7 and 11 days, respectively. Volume calculations from 3D GE images were more accurate than calculations from 3 mm 2D SE images, especially for smaller tumors. A decrease of prolactinoma size was paralleled by a decrease of serum prolactin levels and correlated with an improvement of visual field and endocrine function in both patients. The end of the bromocriptine effect was indicated by a reincreasing tumor volume, which was observed after 30 days in the first patients and after 43 days in the second patient. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that MR volumetry represents a useful tool to monitor changes of prolactinoma volume during bromocriptine treatment and may improve the clinical management of these patients.
Authors: Qasim Al Hinai; Kelvin Mok; Anthony Zeitouni; Bruno Gagnon; Abdul Razag Ajlan; Juan Rivera; Marc Tewfik; Denis Sirhan Journal: Skull Base Date: 2011-11
Authors: Diane M Renz; Horst K Hahn; Peter Schmidt; Jan Rexilius; Markus Lentschig; Alexander Pfeil; Dieter Sauner; Clemens Fitzek; Hans-Joachim Mentzel; Werner A Kaiser; Jürgen R Reichenbach; Joachim Böttcher Journal: Neuroradiology Date: 2010-06-19 Impact factor: 2.804