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Evaluation of anterior pituitary gland volume in childhood using three-dimensional MRI

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Abstract

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. Materials and 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 mm3 at 2–12 months, to 249±25 mm3 at 1–4 years and 271±29 mm3 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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Viale Oxford 81, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Simone Marziali, Fabrizio Gaudiello, Ernesto Ferone, Vittorio Colangelo, Roberto Floris & Giovanni Simonetti

  2. Department of Neuroradiology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, “S. Andrea” Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Alessandro Bozzao

  3. Department of Paediatrics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy

    Giuseppe Scirè, Alessandra Simonetti & Brunetto Boscherini

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  1. Simone Marziali
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  2. Fabrizio Gaudiello
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  3. Alessandro Bozzao
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  4. Giuseppe Scirè
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  5. Ernesto Ferone
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  6. Vittorio Colangelo
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  7. Alessandra Simonetti
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  8. Brunetto Boscherini
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  9. Roberto Floris
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  10. Giovanni Simonetti
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Correspondence to Simone Marziali.

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Marziali, S., Gaudiello, F., Bozzao, A. et al. Evaluation of anterior pituitary gland volume in childhood using three-dimensional MRI. Pediatr Radiol 34, 547–551 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-004-1208-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-004-1208-6

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