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AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

Published ahead of print on April 16, 2008
doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A1094

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T1 Signal Intensity and Height of the Anterior Pituitary in Neonates: Correlation with Postnatal Time

E. Kitamura^a,d, Y. Miki^a, M. Kawai^b, H. Itoh^e, S. Yura^c,f, N. Mori^a, K. Sugimura^d and K. Togashi^a

^a Departments of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
^b Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
^c Departments of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
^d Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
^e Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka, Japan
^f Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan

View larger version (112K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 1. Shape and position of the regions of interest placed in pons, the anterior pituitary gland, and air, respectively.

View larger version (14K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 2. Ratio of relative signal intensity of the anterior pituitary gland to that of the pons (A – a)/(P – a) as a function of postnatal time. A negative correlation is depicted between relative signal intensity and postnatal time (P = .001).

View larger version (138K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 3. Sagittal T1-weighted MR image of the pituitary gland in a preterm neonate (born at gestational week 28) obtained near term (corrected age of 39 weeks; 77 days after birth). The anterior pituitary gland (arrow) is not significantly hyperintense. Arrowhead indicates hyperintensity of the posterior pituitary. Note that white matter is not hyperintense like adults because of the neonatal immaturity of myelination.

View larger version (131K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 4. Sagittal T1-weighted MR image of the pituitary gland in a term neonate (born at gestational week 38) obtained near term (corrected age of 39 weeks; 7 days after birth). The anterior pituitary gland (arrow) is hyperintense. Arrowhead indicates the posterior lobe.

View larger version (13K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 5. Pituitary height as a function of postnatal time. A negative correlation is depicted between height and postnatal time (P = .049).