[Histometric volume determination in aging human thyroid glands and possible errors of this method]

We made histometric volume analyses of hematoxylin and eosin stained paraffin sections of 43 human thyroid lobes by means of the electric integrating apparatus Eltinor 4 A (Optische Werke Rathenow). We investigated ageing changes of the relative amounts of epithel, colloid and connective tissue in the total volume. The volume density of colloid rises up to the 3rd decade, thereafter it shows a small decrease. On the contrary, the amount of epithelial cells decreases until the 3rd decade. The data concerning connective tissue exhibit an increasing trend up to senility. During such measurements errors appear, which are called, among others, total error, systematic and statistic error. We estimated these errors and demonstrated possibilities of their diminution.