The Width of the Normal Pituitary Gland. A Comparison of two Radiological Methods of Measurement

Two radiological methods of measurement of the width of the pituitary gland in the adult have been assessed by anatomical and radiological study of 33 specimens at autopsy. Both methods afforded a fairly accurate measure of the true width. That using the width of the sellar floor tended to make an underestimate and agreed with the actual gland width in 60 per cent of cases. It has the advantage that it can be confirmed by tomography. The width of the dorsum sellae may be difficult to measure in osteoporotic elderly patients and may occasionally give an overestimate of up to 2 mm. It gave a correct estimate of the gland width in 90 per cent of cases. In view of the increasing use of pituitary implantation of radioactive seeds under screening control, it is an advantage to have two methods available, both of which give a useful estimate of the true width of the gland.