RESUMEN
Dynamic MR imaging has revealed dramatic fluctuations in the appearance of CSF in the cortical sulci and cortical subarachnoid spaces in aging individuals and patients with hydrocephalus, dementia and Down syndrome in contrast to young healthy volunteers. The changes have been interpreted as volume fluctuations that represent undamped CSF hydrodynamics and have implications with respect to the origin of CSF in the cortical regions and with respect to the similarity between aging and dementia and edematous states of the brain.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Corteza Cerebral/patología , Presión del Líquido Cefalorraquídeo/fisiología , Demencia/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Hidrocefalia/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Edema Encefálico/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Niño , Síndrome de Down/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mecánica Respiratoria/fisiología , Método Simple CiegoRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To investigate changes in the size, shape, and signal intensity of the pituitary gland during the first 2 years of life. METHODS: One hundred consecutive MR studies, spin-echo T1- and T2-weighted sequences, 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 signal 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 trends in the size of the gland with age (decrease in height and increase in anteroposterior diameter and width). CONCLUSIONS: There are changes in the pituitary gland in the newborn period that may reflect the ongoing changes in pituitary hormones reported to occur during this time.
Asunto(s)
Desarrollo Infantil/fisiología , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Hipófisis/crecimiento & desarrollo , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Hipófisis/anatomía & histología , Hormonas Hipofisarias/fisiología , Valores de ReferenciaRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To determine whether persons with Down syndrome have features of premature aging on routine MR imaging sequences. METHODS: Sixty MR studies (in 30 persons with Down syndrome and 30 age- and sex-matched control subjects) were reviewed retrospectively by two blinded examiners. Sagittal T1-weighted and axial T2-weighted spin-echo images were evaluated for the presence and severity of three markers of brain aging: atrophy, white matter lesions, and T2 hypointensity of the basal ganglia, referenced to the examiner's internal standard of normal for that age and sex. RESULTS: Persons with Down syndrome had higher prevalence and severity of the three markers studied than the control subjects. Atrophy and white matter lesions increased in prevalence with age; abnormal T2 hypointensity of the basal ganglia was more equally distributed with age. CONCLUSION: Persons with Down syndrome have features of premature aging detectable at routine MR imaging.