title: [MRI features of olfactory bulb volume in healthy middle and old-aged persons.].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the differences of olfactory bulb (OB) volumes between younger and older, male and female, left-side and right-side in healthy middle and old-aged persons by MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety five healthy middle and old-aged volunteers (male:female = 45:50) were divided into 2 groups, group one included persons aged from 50 to 69, group two included persons elder than 70. The left-side, right-side and both-side volumes of OB, the volumes of brain and the ratio of OB/brain were measured by MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) The left-side and both-side volumes of OB (x(-) +/- s), the volumes of brain [(39.89 +/- 8.7) mm(3), (81.70 +/- 16.8) mm(3) and (1281.86 +/- 140.2) cm(3)] in 50 - 69 years old group were respectively larger than those in >/= 70 years old group [(34.45 +/- 10.4) mm(3), (72.10 +/- 19.3) mm(3) and (1165.77 +/- 165.3) cm(3)], and the differences reached statistical significance (t were respectively 2.649, 2.449, 3.516, all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences of right-side OB volumes and the ratio of OB/brain between 50 - 69 years old group and >/= 70 years old group (t were respectively 1.904, 0.616, each P > 0.05). (2) The male's OB volumes of left-side, right-side and both-side, the brain volumes and the ratio of OB/brain were respectively larger than females', and the differences reached statistical significance (t were respectively 4.461, 3.630, 4.399, 3.800, 2.400, all P < 0.05). (3) The right-side OB volumes were larger than left-side's and significant differences were found in female group, 50 - 60 years old group and >/= 70 years old group (t were respectively 2.732, 2.117, 3.516, all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences of OB volumes between left-side and right-side in female (t = 2.649, P = 0.110). The ratio of right-side OB/brain were larger than the ratio of left-side's and the differences reached statistical significance (t = 3.183, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRI could be used to measure the volume of OB. The older the people, the smaller the OB volumes. There was no influence of age on the ratio OB/brain. The OB volumes of right-side were larger than those of left-side. The OB volumes of male were larger than those of female.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, 100730, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Zhen-Xin
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Xing-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Da-Hai
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qi-Juan
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Zhi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Dao-Feng
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009830:Olfactory Bulb; D012903:Smell