Corpora arenacea are seen in which of the following organs? a) Posterior pituitary gland b) Anterior pituitary gland c) Pineal gland d) Prostate gland
Ans: c) Pineal gland Ref: Last’s Anatomy: Regional and Applied; 10/e, pg 464. • The pineal gland projects from the posterior wall of the third ventricle, lying above the superior colliculi of the midbrain. • It is a soft, conical body, less than half a centimeter long, and is one of the few regions with no blood-brain barrier. • It contains a number of corpora arenacea. These calcify, and to such an extent that after the age of 40 years, they may throw a tiny shadow in the radiographs of the skull. • A displaced calcified pineal indicates a space-occupying lesion above the tentorium. Note: Corpora amylacea are found in the prostate gland (option ‘d’)