Exploration of orbital and orbital soft-tissue volume changes with gender and body parameters using magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the total orbital volume (TOV) and total orbital fat volume (TOFV) in normal orbits in different age groups and to investigate the correlation of these measurements with age, gender and body parameters by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI data were acquired retrospectively from a total of 1,453 subjects divided into five age groups with 10-year intervals. The TOV and TOFV were measured using T1-weighted MRI for each subject and body parameters were also obtained. The measurements demonstrated that TOV increased with age and that the volume was larger in men than in women. While weight and height exhibited positive correlations with TOV in male and female subjects in the 20-29, 30-39 and 40-49-year-old age groups, only weight showed a positive correlation with TOV in female subjects in the 50-59 and 60-69-year-old age groups. However, TOFV increased by age in all groups and the increments were larger in women than in men. These results provide basic information about the effect of age, gender and body parameters on TOV and TOFV. The variations in TOV are associated with orbital soft-tissues changes rather than with TOFV.