Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35676664›Full record

ArticleBMC endocrine disorders2022

MRI-negative Cushing's Disease: Management Strategy and Outcomes in 15 Cases Utilizing a Pure Endoscopic Endonasal Approach.

Guive Sharifi, Amir Arsalan Amin, Mohammadmahdi Sabahi, Nikolas B Echeverry, Nader Akbari Dilmaghani, Seyed Ali Mousavinejad, Majid Valizadeh, Zahra Davoudi, Badih Adada, Hamid Borghei-Razavi

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC endocrine disorders, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Functional pituitary adenoma imaging.Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Clinical and surgical outcomes of pediatric Cushing's disease following endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Guive SharifiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Amir Arsalan AminDepartment of Neurosurgery, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammadmahdi SabahiNeurosurgery Research Group (NRG), Student Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Nikolas B EcheverryDepartment of Neurosurgery, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Nader Akbari DilmaghaniSkull Base Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Ali MousavinejadDepartment of Neurosurgery, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Majid ValizadehObesity Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra DavoudiDepartment of Endocrinology, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran.
Badih AdadaDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Pauline Braathen Neurological Center, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA.
Hamid Borghei-RazaviDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Pauline Braathen Neurological Center, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA. borgheh2@ccf.org.
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences · IRCleveland Clinic Florida · USHamedan University of Medical Sciences · IRNeurological Surgery · USRutgers, The State University of New Jersey · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCushing's disease (CD) is among the most common etiologies of hypercortisolism. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often utilized in the diagnosis of CD, however, up to 64% of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-producing pituitary microadenomas are undetectable on MRI. We report 15 cases of MRI negative CD who underwent surgical resection utilizing a purely endoscopic endonasal approach.

methodsEndoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) was performed on 134 CD cases by a single surgeon. Fifteen cases met inclusion criteria: no conclusive MRI studies and no previous surgical treatment. Data collected included signs/symptoms, pre- and post-operative hormone levels, and complications resulting from surgical or medical management. Data regarding tumor diameter, location, and tumor residue/recurrence was obtained from both pre- and post-operative MRI. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess for tumor hormone secretion.

resultsAside from a statistically significant difference (P = 0.001) in histopathological results between patients with negative and positive MRI, there were no statistically significant difference between these two groups in any other demographic or clinical data point. Inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) with desmopressin (DDAVP®) administration was performed on the 15 patients with inconclusive MRIs to identify the origin of ACTH hypersecretion via a central/peripheral (C/P) ratio. IPSS in seven, five and three patients showed right, left, and central side lateralization, respectively. With a mean follow-up of 5.5 years, among MRI-negative patients, 14 (93%) and 12 patients (80%) achieved early and long-term remission, respectively. In the MRI-positive cohort, over a mean follow-up of 4.8 years, 113 patients (94.9%) and 102 patients (85.7%) achieved initial and long-term remission, respectively.

conclusionsSurgical management of MRI-negative/inconclusive Cushing's disease is challenging scenario requiring a multidisciplinary approach. An experienced neurosurgeon, in collaboration with a dedicated endocrinologist, should identify the most likely location of the adenoma utilizing IPSS findings, followed by careful surgical exploration of the pituitary to identify the adenoma.

Indexed as

AdenomaPituitary ACTH HypersecretionAdrenocorticotropic HormoneEndoscopyHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalRetrospective StudiesAdrenocorticotropic HormoneCushing’s diseaseEndoscopic transsphenoidal surgeryManagementNegative MRIOutcome

Identifiers

PMID35676664
PMCPMC9178868
OpenAlexW4281620652

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.