[Sagittal MR images of normal pineal glands after Gd-DTPA injection]

We evaluated normal pineal glands on Gd-DTPA enhanced MR images on a 1.5 Tesla superconducting unit. On enhanced sagittal MR images with a 3-mm slice thickness, pineal glands were identified as solid or cystic structures. The solid and cystic pineal glands were divided into two subgroups according to the degree of enhancement. The solid pineal glands showed diffuse or subtle enhancement and cystic ones showed peripheral enhancement either completely or incompletely. Of the 50 patients, 19 (38%) had solid pineal glands and 31 (62%) had cystic ones. In male, 7 out of 11 (63%) showed solid pineal glands and in female, 27 out of 39 (70%) showed cystic ones.