Evaluation of anterior pituitary gland volume in childhood using three-dimensional MRI.
BACKGROUND
Three-dimensional MRI (3D-MRI) is a reliable tool for the evaluation of anatomical volumes. Volumetric measurement of the normal anterior pituitary gland in childhood has been performed in the past by 2D-MRI calculations, but has inherent inaccuracies.


OBJECTIVE
To obtain accurate normal anterior pituitary gland volume in childhood using 3D-MRI coronal sections.


METHODS
The anterior pituitary gland was measured using coronal T1-weighted 3D-gradient-echo sequences (section thickness 0.75 mm). The study group was composed of 95 prepubertal children (age range 2 months-10 years) with clinically normal pituitary function and no pituitary or brain abnormalities.


RESULTS
A measurement error of 0.2-0.4% was assessed by using a phantom study. Volumetric evaluation of the anterior pituitary gland showed progressive growth of the gland from a mean 131+/-24 mm(3) at 2-12 months, to 249+/-25 mm(3) at 1-4 years and 271+/-29 mm(3) at 5-10 years.


CONCLUSIONS
These data may be useful for paediatricians in the evaluation of patients with neuroendocrine diseases, in particular growth hormone deficiency.
Marziali
Simone
S
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy. simonemarz@libero.it
Gaudiello
Fabrizio
F
Bozzao
Alessandro
A
Scirè
Giuseppe
G
Ferone
Ernesto
E
Colangelo
Vittorio
V
Simonetti
Alessandra
A
Boscherini
Brunetto
B
Floris
Roberto
R
Simonetti
Giovanni
G
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000254:growth & development*; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric