title: Cyclic changes of the junctional zone on 3 T MRI images in young and middle-aged females during the menstrual cycle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the cyclic changes of the junctional zone in different age groups during the menstrual cycle using 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to investigate the correlation with basic female hormone levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight normal volunteers (age range, 20-40 years; mean age, 29 years: 20-30 years, n=22; 31-40 years, n=16) with regular menstrual cycles underwent a pelvic 3 T MRI examination on the 2nd or 3rd days of their menstrual phase (MP), follicular phase (FP), peri-ovulatory phase (OP), and luteal phase (LP), respectively, including a T2-weighted three-dimensional (3D) turbo spin-echo (TSE) with variable flip angle ("SPACE") sequence, a T2-weighted mapping sequence, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The thickness, T2, fractional anisotropy (FA), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the junctional zone on mid-sagittal images were separately measured by two radiologists on the post-processed workstation. The linear mixed model and one-way analysis of variance were used to evaluate the differences between the two age groups during the four phases. The serum levels of oestradiol (E), progesterone (P), luteinising hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured during the MP and compared with anatomical and functional MRI values using Pearson's correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The thickness of the anterior and posterior junctional zone increased with age (p<0.05). In the 20-30 year age group, during the MP the junctional zone was significantly thicker than at the other three phases (p<0.05). Serum E levels correlated moderately with variation in thickness during the menstrual cycle. In the 30-40 year age group, no statistical difference in the thickness was found during the menstrual cycle. As age increased, the ADC values of the junctional zone decreased (p=0.02). In both groups, the ADC and T2 values of the junctional zone showed significant differences between the MP and LP (p<0.05), whereas no statistical difference in FA values were found during the menstrual cycle. Serum E, P, and LH levels correlated moderately with variation of ADC and T2 values during the menstrual cycle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The thickness and ADC values of the junctional zone showed significant differences between the two age groups. Cyclic changes in the thickness, ADC, and T2 values of the junctional zone were found during the menstrual cycle, which correlated moderately with the serum female hormone levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Amcare Clinic, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China. Electronic address: bjdanna95@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D055815:Young Adult