Brief Article
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Radiol. Apr 28, 2013; 5(4): 166-172
Published online Apr 28, 2013. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v5.i4.166
Microstructural analysis of pineal volume using trueFISP imaging
Jan M Bumb, Marc A Brockmann, Christoph Groden, Ingo Nolte
Jan M Bumb, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
Marc A Brockmann, Christoph Groden, Ingo Nolte, Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
Marc A Brockmann, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Author contributions: Bumb JM and Nolte I performed the majority of the experiments; Nolte I and Bumb JM designed the study and wrote the manuscript; Brockmann MA and Groden C edited the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr. Ingo Nolte, PD, Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Mannheim, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany. ingo.nolte@medma.uni-heidelberg.de
Telephone: +49-621-3832443 Fax: +49-621-3832165
Received: December 5, 2012
Revised: January 11, 2013
Accepted: February 5, 2013
Published online: April 28, 2013
Processing time: 153 Days and 1.2 Hours
Abstract

AIM: To determine the spectrum of pineal microstructures (solid/cystic parts) in a large clinical population using a high-resolution 3D-T2-weighted sequence.

METHODS: A total of 347 patients enrolled for cranial magnetic resonance imaging were randomly included in this study. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. The exclusion criteria were artifacts or mass lesions prohibiting evaluation of the pineal gland in any of the sequences. True-FISP-3D-imaging (1.5-T, isotropic voxel 0.9 mm) was performed in 347 adults (55.4 ± 18.1 years). Pineal gland volume (PGV), cystic volume, and parenchyma volume (cysts excluded) were measured manually.

RESULTS: Overall, 40.3% of pineal glands were cystic. The median PGV was 54.6 mm3 (78.33 ± 89.0 mm3), the median cystic volume was 5.4 mm3 (15.8 ± 37.2 mm3), and the median parenchyma volume was 53.6 mm3 (71.9 ± 66.7 mm3). In cystic glands, the standard deviation of the PGV was substantially higher than in solid glands (98% vs 58% of the mean). PGV declined with age (r = -0.130, P = 0.016).

CONCLUSION: The high interindividual volume variation is mainly related to cysts. Pineal parenchyma volume decreased slightly with age, whereas gender-related effects appear to be negligible.

Keywords: Pineal gland volume; Pineal cyst; Magnetic resonance imaging; Etiology; Reference range