Enhanced high-resolution sagittal MRI of normal pineal glands.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to determine the appearance and enhancement pattern of human pineal glands on MRI.


METHODS
High-resolution sagittal MR images (3 mm section thickness with an 18 cm field of view) obtained in 60 patients were retrospectively analyzed to determine the size and enhancement patterns of normal pineal glands following the intravenous injection of contrast medium.


RESULTS
Pineal glands were either solid (40%) or cystic (60%) with various enhancement patterns: diffuse (15%) and partially enhanced (25%) in solid and ring-like (20%) and peripherally partial (40%) in cystic. Their diameter exceeded 10 mm but was < 20 mm in five cases and resembled cystic pineal neoplasms. Two such cases were found to be histologically normal.


CONCLUSIONS
Information on the appearance and enhancement patterns of normal pineal glands on MR images can improve the accuracy of diagnosing space-occupying lesions in the pineal region and perhaps help to prevent unnecessary surgery.
Inoue
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Kobe City General Hospital, Japan.
Saiwai
S
S
Miyamoto
T
T
Katsuyama
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA