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[Intracranial physiological calcification on computed tomography (Part 1): Calcification of the pineal region]
1Department of Neurosurgery, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
No to Shinkei = Brain and Nerve
|June 1, 1988
Summary
Intracranial physiological calcification, particularly in the pineal region, increases with age and is more prevalent in males over 20. This study examined calcification frequency across age, sex, and CT scanner types.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Radiology
- Anatomy
Background:
- Intracranial physiological calcification is a common finding.
- Previous studies have explored calcification in specific brain regions.
- Understanding the prevalence and distribution of physiological calcification is crucial for differentiating it from pathological findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency of physiological calcification in the pineal region, choroid plexus of lateral ventricles, and basal ganglia.
- To analyze the relationship between calcification and demographic factors such as age and sex.
- To evaluate the influence of different computed tomography (CT) scanner types on calcification detection.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 2877 consecutive patients (1450 males, 1427 females) who underwent plain CT scanning.
- Exclusion of pathological calcification from the study.
- Examination of calcification in the pineal region, choroid plexus, and basal ganglia across different age groups and sexes, using three types of CT scanners.
Main Results:
- Overall calcification prevalence: 67.7% in the pineal region, 57.6% in the choroid plexus, and 7.5% in the basal ganglia.
- Pineal calcification showed a strong positive correlation with age, increasing significantly from age 10-39 and gradually thereafter, reaching 81.5% in the 70-79 age group.
- Calcification was observed in 75.1% of individuals over 20 years old, with a significantly higher incidence in males (82.6%) compared to females (68.0%) between ages 20-79. No significant differences were found based on CT scanner type or section thickness.
Conclusions:
- Physiological calcification in the pineal region and choroid plexus is common and increases with age.
- Males exhibit a higher prevalence of intracranial calcification compared to females, particularly in the age range of 20-79 years.
- CT scanner type and section thickness did not significantly impact the observed calcification rates.