Scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis studies of human pineal concretions.

The calcareous concretions of human pineal bodies were investigated with scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. The initial concretions measuring 5-7 microns in diameter may have started at the calcified pinealocytes. They grew appositionally forming concentric laminations, and then the simple calcospherulites over 20 microns occasionally aggregated with each other. Some of them became numerous spherulite-aggregated concretions. Others individually grew with scallop-shaped concentric laminations at intervals of 0.05-1 microns and became lobated calcospherulites up to 0.5 mm. The concretions over 0.5 mm were formed by their attachments. The major elements were Ca and P, while traces of S, Mg, and Na were detected. In the calcification and crystallization values, the center of the concretions over 50 microns was significantly higher than the periphery, while there were no differences among the centers and also among the peripheries. The Ca and P amounts in the center were 30.8% and 14.2% by weight and the Ca/P molar ratio was 1.68; thereby the sand-grain-shaped crystals may be nearly hydroxyapatite, as reported previously.