Endocrine Abstracts

Background: For a thorough evaluation of the pituitary gland, it is important to understand its typical structure, including the physiological differences in size and form across age groups in both males and females.

Objectives: To use magnetic resonance images to examine the size, shape, and average normal volume of the normal pituitary gland at various age groups in both genders (MRI).

Material and methods: 200 individuals who underwent brain MRIs in the department were included in the retrospective analysis, with 161 men and 39 women, ages ranging from one year to 50 years. Patients with endocrine or pituitary disorders weren’t allowed to participate in the study. MRI scanner was used to capture every MRI image. ANOVA and Chi-square tests were used to determine the relationship between mean volume and age. A P-value < 0.04 was regarded as significant.

Results: Female patients in each age group had pituitary glands that were on average more than male patients in the same age group. In the age range of 1–11 years, the average pituitary volume was 5.2±1.3 mm. The average pituitary volume was measured at 6.2±1.7 mm in the age groups of 20 to 31 years, 30–41 years, and 40–51 years. The most typical form was flat, which was seen in 45% of persons across all age groups and both genders, followed by convex in 31.1% and concave in 22.7%. Males had a mean pituitary volume of 209±0.71 mm³ while females had a mean pituitary volume of 199±0.5 mm³ in the age range of 1 to 11 years. The average pituitary volume in people between the ages of 11 and 20 was 341±126 mm³ in men and 281±122 mm³ in women. The mean pituitary volume in people aged 20–31 was 431±115 mm³ in men and 441±181 mm³ in women. Males had a mean pituitary volume of 381±141 mm³ and females had a mean pituitary volume of 441±110±115 mm³ in the 30- to 41-year age range. The average pituitary volume in those aged 41–50 was 421±115 mm³ in women and 401±158 mm³ in men.

Conclusion: To compare the abnormal growth in size, knowledge of physiological variation in the pituitary gland’s size and form is required. Pituitary glands that are borderline abnormal in size and shape should have a dynamic contrast MRI examination performed to further assess them.