Outcomes of Transsphenoidal Surgery in Cushing Disease Patients with Negative Pituitary Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings: A Single-Center Experience

The importance of MRI quality and reader's experience for detecting an adenoma in Cushing's disease

OBJECTIVE

In Cushing's disease (CD), detection of an adenoma by MRI is challenging. The aim of this study is to compare real-life MRI in the initial diagnostic workup of CD with high-quality MRI performed in a tertiary center for pituitary diseases.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 139 patients with CD who underwent primary transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) in our department and had both an MRI conducted at a different institution (external MRI; extMRI) and an MRI conducted at our institution (internal MRI; intMRI). Preoperative interpretation of MRI was performed independently by an external radiologist (extRAD), an internal neuroradiologist (intRAD) and a pituitary surgeon (SURG). Intraoperative detection of an adenoma and endocrinological remission provided proof of the true adenoma localization in 105 patients.

RESULTS

Interpretation of extMRI by extRAD and SURG was concordant in only 64% (89/139) of cases, while 74.1% (103/139) concordance was observed for interpretation of intMRI by intRAD and SURG. Based on extMRI, the true localization of the adenoma was correctly predicted in only 46.7% of the patients by extRAD and in 65.7% by SURG. In contrast, the sensitivity to correctly identify the adenoma on intMRI was 80.0% for intRAD and 94.3% for SURG.

CONCLUSION

Both the quality of MRI and the reader's experience are paramount for detection of microadenomas in CD. Every effort should be made to perform high-quality initial MRI according to current standards and to ensure rating by an expert in pituitary imaging.

Surgical strategies in the treatment of MR-negative Cushing's Disease: a systematic review and treatment algorithm

PURPOSE

Several surgical strategies have been proposed to treat MRI-negative Cushing's Disease. These include tumor removal, if identified, and if a tumor is not identified, resection of varying degrees of the pituitary gland, often guided by inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS). The relative risks and benefits of each strategy have never been compared.

METHODS

This systematic review of the literature included only studies on the results of surgery for MRI-negative patients with Cushing's Disease in which the surgical strategy was clearly described and associated remission and/or hypopituitarism rates detailed for each strategy.

RESULTS

We identified 12 studies that met inclusion criteria for remission rates and 5 studies for hypopituitarism rates. We divided cases into 6 resection strategies. Remission and hypopituitarism rates for each strategy were: (1) tumor identified, resect tumor only (68%, 0%); (2) resect tumor and surrounding capsule (85%, 0%); and if the tumor was not identified (3) resect inferior 1/3 of gland (78%, no data); (4) resect 30-50% of gland based on IPSS (68%, 13%); (5) resect > 50% but < 100% of gland (65%, 9%); (6) resect entire gland (66%, 67%). Strategy 3 only contained 9 patients.

CONCLUSION

Remission rates for MRI-negative Cushing's Disease support surgery as a reasonable approach. Results are best if a tumor is found. If a tumor is not identified, one can either remove one-third of the gland guided by IPSS lateralization, or remove both lateral portions along with the inferior portion leaving sufficient central gland to preserve function. Our recommendations are limited by the lack of rigorous and objective data.

Treatment of recurrent and persistent Cushing's disease after first transsphenoidal surgery: lessons learned from an international meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is the first-line treatment for patients with Cushing's Disease (CD). Recurrence rates after a first TSS range between 3 and 22% within 3 years. Management of recurrent or persistent CD may include repeat TSS or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). We performed a meta-analysis to explore the overall efficacy of TSS and SRS for patients with CD after an initial surgical intervention.

METHODS

EMBASE, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane databases were searched from their dates-of-inception up to December 2021. Inclusion criteria were comprised of patients with an established diagnosis of CD who presented with persistent or biochemically recurrent disease after a first TSS for tumor resection and were treated with a second TSS or SRS.

RESULTS

Search criteria yielded 2,116 studies of which 37 articles from 15 countries were included for analysis. Mean age ranged between 29.9 and 47.9 years, and mean follow-up was 11-104 months. TSS was used in 669 (67.7%) patients, while SRS was used in 320 (32.4%) patients, and remission rates for CD were 59% (95%CI 0.49-0.68) and 74% (95%CI 0.54-0.88), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the remission rate between TSS and SRS (P = 0.15). The remission rate of patients with recurrent CD undergoing TSS was 53% (95%CI 0.32-0.73), and for persistent CD was 41% (95%CI 0.28-0.56) (P = 0.36).

CONCLUSION

Both TSS and SRS are possible approaches for the treatment of recurrent or persistent CD after a first TSS. Our data show that either TSS or SRS represent viable treatment options to achieve remission for this subset of patients.

Transsphenoidal Surgery of Corticotroph Adenomas With Cavernous Sinus Invasion: Results in a Series of 86 Consecutive Patients

Objective

Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is the first-line treatment for corticotroph adenomas. Although most corticotroph adenomas are noninvasive microadenomas, a small subset of them invading cavernous sinus (CS) is notoriously difficult to manage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of corticotroph adenomas with CSI from a single center.

Patients and Methods

The clinical features and outcomes of CD patients who underwent TSS between January 2000 and September 2019 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were collected from medical records. The clinical, endocrinological, radiological, histopathological, and surgical outcomes, and a minimum 12-month follow-up of patients with corticotroph adenomas invading CS were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Eighty-six patients with corticotroph adenomas invading CS were included in the study. The average age at TSS was 37.7 years (range, 12 to 67 years), with a female-to-male ratio of 3.1:1 (65/21). The median duration of symptoms was 52.6 months (range, 1.0 to 264 months). The average of maximum diameter of tumor was 17.6 mm (range, 4.5–70 mm). All included 86 patients underwent TSS using a microscopic or an endoscopic approach. Gross total resection was achieved in 63 patients (73.3%), subtotal resection was attained in 18 (20.9%), and partial resection was achieved in 5 (5.8%). After surgery, the overall postoperative immediate remission rate was 48.8% (42/86); 51.2% (44/86) of patients maintained persistent hypercortisolism. In 42 patients with initial remission, 16.7% (7/42) experienced a recurrence. In these patients with persistent disease and recurrent CD, data about further treatment were available for 30 patients. Radiotherapy was used for 15 patients, and 4 (26.7%) of them achieved biochemical remission. Repeat TSS was performed in 5 patients, and none achieved remission. Medication was administered in 4 patients, and one of them obtained disease control. Adrenalectomy was performed in 6 patients, and 5 (83.3%) achieved biochemical remission. At the last follow-up, 10 of 30 patients (33.3%) were in remission, and 20 patients still had persistent disease.

The remission rate in corticotroph adenomas with cavernous sinus invasion (CSI) that underwent gross total resection and first TSS was significantly higher than that in patients undergoing subtotal resection, partial resection, and a second TSS (all p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the remission rate between patients with different tumor sizes, Knosp grades, and surgical approaches (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The management of corticotroph adenomas with CSI remain a therapeutic challenge due to incomplete resection of invasive and/or a large adenoma. With the application of multiple techniques, approximately half of the patients could achieve gross total resection and biochemical remission via TSS by experienced neurosurgeons. The extent of tumor resection and the number of operations were associated with surgical remission rate in corticotroph adenomas with CSI. If the remission was not achieved by surgery, other treatments including radiotherapy, medical therapy, and even bilateral adrenalectomy are required.

Surgical outcome of transsphenoidal surgery in Cushing's disease: a case series of 1106 patients from a single center over 30 years

OBJECTIVE

Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is the first-line treatment for patients with Cushing's disease (CD). However, the reported remission rates of patients who received TSS vary widely between different studies, and the predictors of surgical outcomes remain controversial. The present study analyzed the early outcome of TSS in a large population of patients with CD at a single center, and identified potential predictors of initial remission of TSS in patients with CD.

METHODS

The clinical features and surgical outcomes of CD patients who underwent TSS between 1988 and 2018 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) were collected and analyzed from their medical records.

RESULTS

Of the 1604 CD patients who underwent TSS at PUMCH between February 1988 and October 2018, 1106 patients had complete medical data and pathological results. After surgery, the overall postoperative initial remission rate was 72.5, and 27.5% of patients maintained persistent hypercortisolism. The initial remission rate of patients with preoperative noninvasive adenoma based on MRI (77.1%), intraoperative noninvasiveness (72.5%), microadenoma (74.3%), pathological confirmation (76.4%), and first TSS (73.9%) was significantly higher than that in patients with preoperative invasive adenoma (53.0%), intraoperative invasiveness (60.7%), macroadenomas (65.9%), pathologically negative (49.7%), and repeat TSS (56.0%), respectively (all P < 0.05). The initial remission rate in patients with pseudocapsule-based extracapsular resection (88.1%), MRI-visible adenoma (74.2%) was higher than that in patients without pseudocapsule-based extracapsular resection (77.1%), and with MRI-negative results (64.5%), respectively, but did not reach statistical significance (All P > 0.05). Striking, there was no significant differences in initial remission rates between patients who underwent selective adenomectomy and enlarged adenomectomy (P > 0.05). Whereas, the initial remission rates in patients who underwent partial hypophysectomy only was 51.0%, which was much lower than that in patients underwent selective adenomectomy and enlarged adenomectomy (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The TSS is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of CD. Whereas, preoperative invasiveness based on MRI, intraoperative invasiveness, macroadenomas pathologically negative, and repeat TSS are related to lower initial remission rates.