Anatomic Features of the Interthalamic Adhesion in the Pediatric Population
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Published on: July 2, 2014
Mustafa Cemil Kılınç1, Baran Can Alpergin2, Emre Bahir Mete2
1Department of Neurosurgery, Çorum Erol Olçok Training and Research Hospital, Hitit University, Çorum, Turkey.
Insights
The interthalamic adhesion (ITA) in children aged 1-18 years shows irregular size decreases with age. Linear functions were developed to model ITA growth dynamics for dimension estimation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric radiology
- Neuroanatomy
- Developmental biology
Background:
- The interthalamic adhesion (ITA) is a midline structure within the third ventricle.
- Understanding ITA morphology and its changes during childhood is crucial for interpreting neuroimaging studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphological characteristics of the interthalamic adhesion (ITA) in healthy children aged 1 to 18 years.
- To establish normative data and growth patterns for ITA dimensions in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 180 healthy pediatric subjects (ages 1-18).
- Measurement of ITA's horizontal diameter (HD), vertical diameter (VD), and cross-sectional area (CSA).
- Assessment of ITA location within the third ventricle.
Main Results:
- ITA dimensions (HD, VD, CSA) exhibited irregular decreases with advancing pediatric age.
- Significant age-related changes were observed, with HD decreasing post-pubescence, VD increasing then decreasing, and CSA showing an irregular decline.
- The ITA was most commonly located in the anterosuperior quadrant (76.70%).
- Linear functions were derived to describe the growth dynamics of HD, VD, and CSA in relation to age.
Conclusions:
- Interthalamic adhesion size irregularly decreases throughout childhood and adolescence.
- The derived linear functions provide a quantitative model for ITA dimensions across pediatric age groups.
- These findings can aid in the dimensional assessment of the ITA in pediatric neuroimaging.
Objective:
The main goal of this retrospective study was to examine the morphology of the interthalamic adhesion (ITA) in normal children aged between 1 and 18 years.
Methods:
The study universe consisted of magnetic resonance images of 180 healthy pediatric subjects (age, 9.50 ± 5.20 years, sex, 90 girls and 90 boys). The cross-sectional area (CSA), vertical diameter (VD), and horizontal diameter (HD) of the ITA were measured and in addition, its location was noted.
Results:
HD, VD, and CSA of the ITA were measured as 8.47 ± 1.64 mm, 7.59 ± 1.57 mm, and 52.06 ± 18.51 mm2, respectively. HD did not change from infancy until postpubescence, but then significantly decreased (P < 0.001). VD increased up to early childhood but then did not alter until the end of prepubescence. After that period, it decreased in postpubescence (P < 0.001). CSA tended to decrease in an irregular pattern according to pediatric age periods (P < 0.001). The ITA was located at the anterosuperior quadrant in 138 individuals (76.70%), at the anteroinferior quadrant in 7 individuals (3.90%), and the center of the lateral wall of the third ventricle in 35 individuals (19.40%). Linear functions were calculated as y = 9.490-0.107 × age (years) for HD, y = 8.453-0.091 × age (years) for VD, and y = 63.559-1.211 × age (years) for CSA.
Conclusions:
ITA size irregularly decreases with advancing age from 1 to 18 years. Our calculated linear functions, showing the growth dynamics of the ITA by pediatric ages, may be helpful in estimating its dimension.
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