MRI-based Radiological and Morphologic Analysis of Pituitary Gland With Relation to Age and Gender

Background and Objective The pituitary gland is a small gland found in the pituitary fossa. Significant variations exist in pituitary gland's size and shape among healthy individuals. This variability can create uncertainty making it challenging radiologists to determine whether a certain size falls within a normal range. The objective of the study is to perform a radiologic and morphometric analysis of pituitary gland, focusing on age and sex-related changes in its size and morphology. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective observational study conducted in the department of radiology at Punjab Institute of Neurosciences after obtaining clearance from the institutional review board. The sample size was 503 and ran from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2024. Normative measurements of pituitary gland among healthy individuals were observed using MRI brain T1 weighted mid sagittal and T2 weighted coronal images. Results The pituitary gland dimensions showed a linear increase with age during childhood and adolescence, peaking in early adulthood and declining in older age groups except length dimension which exhibited peak in fifth decade. Females exhibited higher pituitary mean height and volume compare to males. Mean pituitary height was 5.48 ± 1.49 mm and 5.32 ± 1.43 mm in females and males respectively. Most common shape of the superior surface of pituitary gland was flat. Conclusion This study established normative measurements of the pituitary gland encompassing subjects of all age groups within the Pakistani population. The data provided reference values for the pituitary dimensions and morphology, which serve as diagnostic parameters for evaluating pituitary pathologies.