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Objective: Cushing disease is a potentially fatal endocrine disorder caused by adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)‐secreting microadenomas in the pituitary gland. Accurate detection and localization of the adenomas is the key to clinical treatment. This study analysed the value of contrast‐enhanced Sampling Perfection with Application‐optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolutions (SPACE) sequence in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. Design and Patients: We carried out a retrospective study in which 45 patients with ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas were enrolled. Dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) coronal T1‐SE sequence was performed. A contrast‐enhanced coronal SPACE sequence was added immediately after DCE MRI finished. Two independent observers assessed the tumour existence and location, then the results were compared with surgical findings. Results: Twenty‐four lesions (53.3%) were detected by the DCE T1‐SE sequence alone, while 35 lesions (80.0%) were detected with the addition of contrast‐enhanced SPACE sequence. The sensitivity (58.5% vs. 85.3%; p <.05) and best diagnostic accuracy (62.0% vs. 84.4%; p <.05) were significantly better for addition with SPACE sequence than DCE‐SE images alone in detection of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. For lesions <5 mm, the detected numbers were 4 (16.6%) versus 10 (27.8%) by DCE T1‐SE sequence and combined DCE T1‐SE with SPACE sequence. Conclusions: A combination of contrast‐enhanced SPACE with DCE T1‐SE sequence could improve the detection of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. Contrast‐enhanced SPACE sequence could be a supplementary sequence for imaging of ACTH‐secreting pituitary adenomas when T1‐SE sequence provides negative or equivocal findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]