3.0T Pituitary - University of Michigan

This Release 2 SmartExam ExamCard is used for patients who are suspected of having:

1.      Pituitary adenoma (micro or macroadenoma).

2.      Suprasellar or hypothalamic masses.

3.      Abnormality of the optic chiasma (demyelination, tumor etc).

4.      Abnormality of the infundibular stalk (inflammation, tumor etc).

As there are many interrelated structures found in this area, such as the optic chiasma and the infundibular stalk, it is necessary to be able to distinguish these structures and study them in detail.

The objective of this ExamCard is to produce images with a high-resolution and a small FOV.

The reduced voxel size also decreases susceptibility artifacts.

Notes:

SmartSurvey is a 59-sec SmartScan localizer

Scan 2 is a standard reference scan

Scan 3, T1 SAG SE is a small FOV, thin slices scan covering the pituitary gland.

Scan 4, DWI, is a standard brain sequence, used to create an ADC map.

Scans 5-6 are coronal small FOV, thin slices scans centered over the pituitary gland.

Scan 7, T1 TSE Dynamic (optional) is an optional dynamic scan with contrast injection, performed in patients with suspected micro adenoma, to catch small tumor before contrast equilibrium between the normal gland and tumor sets in. Approximately 6 slices (enough to cover the pituitary) and 5 or more phases are used.

Scans 8-9 produce post-contrast, thin slice images of the pituitary.