Measuring of the Cerebellar Volume of Normal Koreans in Their 20s and 40s Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study purposed to measure the standard volume of the cerebellum of normal Koreans who were in their 20s and 40s, and we also wished to find out the difference in the volume of the cerebellum according to gender and age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study collected MR brain images from 118 people in their 20s (males 58, females 60) and 100 people in their 40s (males 41, females 59), for a total of 218 people. For each of sagittal, coronal and axial sections, the cerebellar part of the images was segmented using automatic and manual methods, and the volume was then measured. In order to observe differences according to gender and age and also to observe the interactive effect between gender and age, a two-way ANOVA test was performed using gender (2 levels) and age (2 levels) as independent variables. RESULTS:The average volume of the cerebellum of Koreans in their 20s was 133.74 (cm3) and that of Koreans in their 40s was 121.83 (cm3). The average volume of the cerebellum of male Koreans in their 20s and 40s was 134.55 (cm3) and that of female Koreans was 123.06 (cm3). The volume of the cerebellum was significantly larger in Koreans in their 20s than those volumes of the cerebellum of Koreans in their 40s, and the cerebellum volumes in male Koreans were larger than those of the Korean females. Moreover, the reduction of the volume of the cerebellum with age was significantly larger in male Koreans than in the Korean females. CONCLUSION: According to the results of measuring the volume of the cerebellum for normal Koreans in their 20s and 40s, the volume was significantly different according to gender and age, and the reduction of the volume of the cerebellum with age was significantly larger in men than in women.