Lateral ventricular atrium: larger in male than female fetuses.
OBJECTIVE
To attempt to detect the presence of a gender difference in the size of the fetal lateral ventricular atrium.


METHODS
The width of the lateral ventricular atrium was measured sonographically on 543 consecutive fetuses scanned at 17-40 weeks, with a normal structural survey and documented gender assignment. Lateral ventricular measurements of male and female fetuses were compared.


RESULTS
The mean width (+/- S.D.) of the lateral ventricular atrium for the entire study population of 543 fetuses was 6.5 +/- 1.4 mm. The measurement was 6.7 +/- 1.3 in male and 6.3 +/- 1.4 in female fetuses (P < 0.001). The atrial measurements were > or = 8.5 mm in 10% of the male and 7% of the female fetuses (P > 0.05, NS).


CONCLUSIONS
Male fetuses have slightly larger cerebral lateral ventricles than female fetuses.
Nadel
A S
AS
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Benacerraf
B R
BR
D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography