MRI Control Study Of Pituitary Measurment In Normal And Growth Retardation Children

ObjectiveTo get the measurements of comparison data with the volume and size of pituitaryglands in healthy children and growth retardation children using higher solution MRI.Measurement data were statistically analyzed,to provide diagnostic evidence and a wealthof information for clinical diagnosis of child growth retardation.Materials andMethods1. SubjectsTo make the positioning accuracy and images consistent,90cases of growthretardation children (50males,40females, mean age8.19±3.53years, range3-<15yearsold) were selected in the study from September2010to December2011.90cases of growthretardation children were divided into5groups，i.e Group A(age range3～<6),B(agerange6～<10years)and C(age range10～<15years)．On the other side,99healthy children(53males,46females, mean age7.10±3.04years, range3～<15years old) were randomlyselected as a control group from health check children, who were divided into3groups,i.e.Group A(age range3～<6),B(age range6～<10years)and C(age range10～<15years).Age and gender between groups were not different statistically.2. Apparatus and equipment3.0T super conducting magnetic resonance scanner (General Electric Company) wasused. Head coil is a eight-channel phased array. Sequences include the conventionalsequence and3D T1WIFSPGR. All subjects were carried out with coronal T2-weightedimaging, sagittal, coronal T1-weighted scan and coronal3D T1wifspgr.sagittal and coronalscanning lines are perpendicular to the pituitary glands and Sellar floo.After the conventional serial scan was completed, all the volunteers were scanned byMR using3D T1WI FSPGR protocol. The parameters were as follows: FOV240mm, slice thickness1.4mm, gap0.5mm. After the scanning, the margins of pituitary glands wereoutlined manually through the MIP post-processing technique in sagittal, coronal and axialorientation of the raw data. The volumes of pituitary glands were measured by theautomatic volume measurement software. In addition, Sagittal and coronal reformat imageswere getted from the3D T1wifspgr raw data by Reformat technique. Sagittal and coronalscanning lines were perpendicular to the pituitary glands and Sellar floor. The sizes ofpituitary glands were manually measured in the coronal and sagittal plane.Statistical AnalysisSPSS17.0statistical analysis software package was used. All measurement data wereindicated with s. The difference among three groups of same sexualities and differentages were compared by one-way ANOVA; difference between male and female in healthychildren, children growth retardation and healthy children were analyzed by theindependent t test, and the difference among measurements of the types of pituitary glandswere analyzed by Chi-square analysis. Taking the P<0.05as a difference, P<0.01as asignificant difference.ResultThe volumes and sizes of pituitary glands in healthy children are as follows:1. Volumes of pituitary glands：the mean volume of male and female among3agegroups (A2、 B2、 C2)were A2:(224.55±71.21)mm~3、 B2:(320.20±64.80)mm~3、 C2:(358.32±81.57)mm~3,and A2:(271.69±87.51)mm~3、 B2:(365.90±83.52)mm~3、 C2:（496.69±128.93）mm~3respectively. Sizes of pituitary glands：the mean heights on middlesagittal MR images of male and female among3age groups wereA2:(4.24±.56）mm、B2:(4.91±.82)mm、C2:(5.87±1.29)mm，andA2:(4.51±.83)mm、B2:(5.04±1.00) mm、C2:(6.26±1.41) mm respectively. The mean an teroposterior diameter in middle sagittalimages of male and female among3age groups were A2:(7.56±1.30)mm、B2:(8.72±1.04）mm、C2:(9.37±1.46) mm, A2:and(7.38±1.23)mm、B2:(8.02±1.01) mm、C2:(9.30±1.42)mmrespectively, the mean heights on middle coronal MR images of male and female among3age groups wereA2:(3.91±0.74)、 B2:(4.59±0.70)mm、 C2:(5.73±0.81)mmandA2:(3.94±0.82)mm、B2:(4.80±0.71)mm、C2:(5.76±0.90)mm respectively. The meanwidth in coronal MR images of male and female among3age groupswereA2:(11.06±1.05)mm、B2:(11.91±1.92) mm、C2:(13.25±1.72) mm and A2:(11.12±1.28)mm、B2:(12.06±1.26)mm、C2:(13.91±1.01)mm respectively. The volume of pituitaryglands in children among different age groups had a significant difference (F=18.63,19.23, P<0.01); the same age group of female pituitary glands volume is slightly larger than themale (P>0.05), there was no significant difference:The volume and size of pituitary glands in growth retardation children are as follows:1. Volume of pituitary glands：the mean volume of male and female among3agegroups(A1、B1、C1) wereA1:(226.67±30.49)mm~3、B1:(304.04±67.56)mm~3、C1:(308.31±104.64)mm~3,and A1:(210.10±58.54)mm~3、B1:(307.30±82.01)mm~3、C1:(359.00±135.27)mm~3respectively. The size of pituitary glands：the mean heights on middle sagittal MRimages of male and female among3age groups wereA1:(4.00±1.00)mm、B1:(4.53±1.28)mm、C1:(4.31±1.08)mm，andA1:(4.36±0.63)mm、B1:(4.56±0.97)mm、C1:(4.92±1.41)mm respectively. The mean anteroposterior diameter in middle sagittal images of male andfemale among3age groups wereA1:(7.09±1.44)mm、B1:(7.67±1.56)mm、C1:(7.67±1.17)mm， andA1:(6.92±0.91) mm、 B1:(7.81±1.08)mm、 C1:(8.14±1.31)mm respectively．the mean heights on middle coronal MR images of male and female among3agegroups wereA1:(3.17±0.48)、 B1:(3.79±0.57)mm、 C1:(4.45±1.00)mm andA1:(3.51±0.54)mm、B1:(4.23±0.57)mm、C1:(4.48±1.00)mm respectively. The mean width in coronalMR images of male and female among3age groups wereA1:(10.11±1.18)mm、B1:(11.35±1.58) mm、C1:(11.20±3.19) mm and A1:11.13±1.61)mm、B1:(11.48±1.60)mm、C1:(12.32±2.59) mm respectively. Along with the age growing,pituitary growth is slow,there is the most significant in the third age group.The types of pituitary glands in normal children of different age stages (A2、B2、C2):30cases were depression type,40cases were flat type,29cases were elevated types.The types of pituitary glands in MR images:there were significant differences among eachtype(χ~2=19.92、5.66,P<0．05).The types of pituitary glands in children growth retardationof different age stages(A1、B1、C1):31cases were depression type,41cases were flat type,14cases were elevated types.The types of pituitary glands in MR images:there were notsignificant differences among each type(χ~2=10.07、1.41,P>0．05)．Along with the ageincreasing, elevated type increases gradually, carina type gradually reduces.ConclusionThe volume of pituitary glands were measured through the3D magnetization prepar-ation gradient echo sequence T1WI,3D volumetric analysis of post processing software ofdrawing pituitary. The results showed that, pituitary volume in children of growthretardation was less than the normal children(A2、B2、C2andA1、B1、C1), there was statistically significant diffrence in the third age group. It can provide objective basis forclinical diagnosis and scientific research of a variety of pituitary diseases and children ingrowth retardation.