title: Volumetric asymmetry and differential aging effect of the human caudate nucleus in normal individuals: a prospective MR imaging study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  the purpose of this study was to examine interhemispheric asymmetry in volume of the caudate nucleus and its age dependency.
  
  
  METHODS
  high-resolution T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained for each subject using a 3-dimensional fast field-echo pulse sequence. The volumes of the bilateral caudate nuclei on MR images were measured using an automated method. Right-to-left comparison was made using paired t-test. Age-related change of right-to-left volume ratio (R/L ratio) was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  fifty healthy right-handed Japanese male subjects (age 12 to 67 years, mean 39.6 years) were involved in this study. The volume of right caudate nucleus was larger than the left in 48 of 50 subjects (P < .001). R/L ratio increased with age (r= .420, P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  our results confirmed the rightward volumetric asymmetry of caudate nucleus in right-handed individuals, and revealed that this asymmetry becomes notable with age.
authors: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. yamakou@med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Yamashita
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Yoshiura
authors: Akio
authors: A
authors: Hiwatashi
authors: Tomoyuki
authors: T
authors: Noguchi
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Togao
authors: Yukihisa
authors: Y
authors: Takayama
authors: Eiki
authors: E
authors: Nagao
authors: Hironori
authors: H
authors: Kamano
authors: Masamitsu
authors: M
authors: Hatakenaka
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Honda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies