MR assessment of pituitary gland morphology in healthy volunteers: age- and gender-related differences.
OBJECTIVE
High-field MR images at 1.5 T were used to characterize the effects of age and gender on pituitary size and shape in a sample of 71 adult volunteers (40 females), aged 21 to 82 years.


RESULTS
For all subjects, age was inversely correlated with pituitary height (r = -.43, P less than .0002) and cross-sectional area (r = -.35, P less than .0028). Age-specific gender differences were also present in pituitary height and area. A convex upper pituitary margin was more common in females (P = .002) and younger subjects (P = .009).


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms that aging is accompanied by gender-specific changes in pituitary size and shape, and provides normative data that may facilitate evaluation of the pituitary gland in neuroendocrine disorders.
Doraiswamy
P M
PM
Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
Potts
J M
JM
Axelson
D A
DA
Husain
M M
MM
Lurie
S N
SN
Na
C
C
Escalona
P R
PR
McDonald
W M
WM
Figiel
G S
GS
Ellinwood
E H
EH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics