Lacrimal gland morphostructural analysis by MR imaging: interobserver, age and gender variations

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study is to identify morphostructural changes of lacrimal glands (LG) related to age and gender using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MR).

Methods: LG images of 26 patients submitted to 3.0 Tesla MR scanner were retrospectively evaluated by 02 observers using OsiriX (Black Duck Software Inc, Burlington, MA, USA) or Image J (NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA). The area in the largest section, volume and the density of the right and left LG were obtained and submitted to analysis of agreement among observers and correlation tests with the age and the gender of the patients (JMP® 10.0 software, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA).

Results: The mean age was 56.9 ± 16.2 years and gender ratio was 0.73 F: 1M. The findings indicate that the axial LG area in the largest section is 65.2 ± 33.5 mm² , volume is 537.4 ± 310.1 mm³ and density is 175.1 ± 65.1 units using 3.0 Tesla MNR. There was no significant correlation with age (p>0.05 for the three parameters). Right LG was significantly bigger for area (p = 0.002), volume (p = 0.001) but not for density (p = 0.08), compared to left LG. The interobserver variability was 42% and intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.329.

Conclusions: the present work indicates the normal features of LG under 3.0 Tesla MR imaging. Standardization in LG measures is required since the interobserver agreement was poor. In the future it may contribute for improving understanding of pathophysiology of LG dysfunction and dry eye disease.