Rb. Dietrich et al., NORMAL MR APPEARANCE OF THE PITUITARY-GLAND IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF LIFE, American journal of neuroradiology, 16(7), 1995, pp. 1413-1419
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences,"Radiology,Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
PURPOSE: To investigate changes in the size, shape, and signal intensi
ty of the pituitary gland during the first 2 years of life. METHODS: O
ne hundred consecutive MR studies, spin-echo T1- and T2-weighted seque
nces, of children 0 to 2 years of age were analyzed. Signal intensity
and shape of the gland were graded and its signal intensity measured.
RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the signa
l intensity of both the anterior and posterior pituitary gland and in
the shape between children younger than and older than 6 weeks of age
and younger than and older than 27 weeks of age. There were definite t
rends in the size of the gland with age (decrease in height and increa
se in anteroposterior diameter and width). CONCLUSIONS: There are chan
ges in the pituitary gland in the newborn period that may reflect the
ongoing changes in pituitary hormones reported to occur during this ti
me.