This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by LURIE, S. N. Articles by KRISHNAN, K. R. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by LURIE, S. N. Articles by KRISHNAN, K. R. R.

In Vivo Assessment of Pituitary Gland Volume with Magnetic Resonance Imaging: The Effect of Age^*

Duke University Medical Center Durham, North Carolina 27710

Address requests for reprints to: K. R. R. Krishnan, M.D., Box 3215, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710.

We used sagittal and coronal Tl weighted magnetic resonance images, at 1.5 Tesla, to measure the height, width, length, and cross-sectional area and to generate two estimates of pituitary gland volume in 35 normal volunteers aged 26–79 yr (19 females and 16 males). Subjects over 50 yr of age had significantly smaller pituitary gland height (P = 0.03), area (P = 0.04), and volume (P = 0.04) than those under 50 yr (by two-tailed t test). Overall, age was negatively correlated with pituitary volume (V₁: r = –0.51; P = 0.003; V₂: r = –0.47; P = 0.008), area (r = –0.43; P = 0.009), and height (r = –0.46; P = 0.005), but not with pituitary length or width. There were no statistically significant differences in pituitary size between men and women (by two-tailed t test). These findings suggest that pituitary gland height provides a good single measure for the assessment of pituitary gland size and that age must be controlled for in studies of pituitary gland size.

^* This work was supported in part by NIMH-MH 42210.

Received December 29, 1989.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. M. Pariante Pituitary volume in psychosis: the first review of the evidence J Psychopharmacol, March 1, 2008; 22(2_suppl): 76 - 81. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. M. Fink, S. Vidmar, S. Kumbla, C. C. Pedreira, S. Kanumakala, C. Williams, J. B. Carlin, and F. J. Cameron Age-Related Pituitary Volumes in Prepubertal Children with Normal Endocrine Function: Volumetric Magnetic Resonance Data J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2005; 90(6): 3274 - 3278. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Pariante, K. Vassilopoulou, D. Velakoulis, L. Phillips, B. Soulsby, S. J. Wood, W. Brewer, D. J. Smith, P. Dazzan, A. R. Yung, et al. Pituitary volume in psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry, July 1, 2004; 185(1): 5 - 10. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Chanson, F. Daujat, J. Young, A. Bellucci, M. Kujas, D. Doyon, and G. Schaison Normal Pituitary Hypertrophy as a Frequent Cause of Pituitary Incidentaloma: A Follow-Up Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2001; 86(7): 3009 - 3015. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Murray, H. G. Maheshwari, E. J. Russell, and G. Baumann Pituitary Hypoplasia in Patients with a Mutation in the Growth hormone-releasing Hormone Receptor Gene AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., April 1, 2000; 21(4): 685 - 689. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Shimono, H. Hatabu, K. Kasagi, Y. Miki, S. Nishizawa, T. Misaki, A. Hiraga, and J. Konishi Rapid Progression of Pituitary Hyperplasia in Humans with Primary Hypothyroidism: Demonstration with MR Imaging Radiology, November 1, 1999; 213(2): 383 - 388. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				K. Takano, H. Utsunomiya, H. Ono, M. Ohfu, and M. Okazaki Normal Development of the Pituitary Gland: Assessment with Three-dimensional MR Volumetry AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., February 1, 1999; 20(2): 312 - 315. [Abstract] [Full Text]