Morphometric Analysis of Radiological Features of Pituitary Tumors and Optic Pathway Distortion Associated with Visual Impairment in Pituitary Macroadenomas with Suprasellar Extension

Objective: To validate the correlation between visual impairment (VI) and suprasellar extension (SSE) in pituitary macroadenomas and to identify patients at heightened risk of preoperative visual deficits by analyzing anatomical distortion of optic nerve and optic chiasm (OC) using preoperative magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: Ninety-seven patients with pituitary macroadenomas and SSE, treated between January 2015 and April 2022, were analyzed. Associations between VI, demographic data, SSE, and optic pathway deformation were assessed. SSE cutoff points for predicting VI were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves, with univariate and multivariate logistic regression identifying potential risk factors.

Results: Of the 97 patients, 47 had confirmed VI. Independent predictors of VI included visual symptoms lasting >1 month, sagittal SSE >10.35 mm, and vertical OC width >5.6 mm. Additional risk factors were older age, nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma, coronal SSE, dumbbell-shaped tumors, large and giant adenomas, reduced optic nerve diameter, increased horizontal OC width, and thinned OC thickness.

Conclusions: Tumor morphology and optic pathway distortion predict preoperative VI in patients with pituitary macroadenomas. These findings support the development of a viable approach for assessing VI risk in clinical practice, aiding in decisions regarding optimal surgical timing.