Hyperenhancement of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) on preoperative MRI: implications on tumor characteristics and outcomes.

Summary: Pituitary tumors are growths in the brain. Usually, they look dark on MRI scans. But sometimes, they light up brightly. Doctors looked at over 800 patients to see what this bright spot means. They found it is very rare, happening in less than 2 out of 100 cases. When a tumor does light up, it is usually smaller. However, patients with these bright tumors have a higher chance of being very thirsty and peeing a lot right after surgery. This condition is called diabetes insipidus. Doctors can use this clue from the MRI to be extra careful during surgery and watch the patient closely afterward.