Pituitary height on magnetic resonance imaging observation of age and sex related changes.

OBJECTIVE To establish measurements of selected pituitary parameters in cases with normal pituitary gland in < or = 30 year old selected samples from Karachi. METHODS A total of 220 subjects of < or = 30 years of age with normal pituitary morphology were evaluated by using T2 weighted Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging. Pituitary height (PH) and shape of the superior surface of the gland was observed on midsaggital sections. Data was stratified into six groups on the basis of age and sex to observe the differences. RESULTS After the second month of life, the pituitary height increased gradually to achieve its peak in the second decade of life in the females (6.3 +/- 1.4 mm, n = 43) and the third decade of life in the males (5.9 +/- 1 mm, n = 41). PH decreased gradually there after. Significant difference was observed in PH in different age groups in both genders. Gland was significantly higher in females than males in the second decade. Higher frequencies of convex superior surface followed the same pattern. CONCLUSION This study provided the reference values for the Pituitary height and the shape of the superior surface of the pituitary gland, which may contribute to establish credible reference values.