The development of the fetal thymus: an in utero sonographic evaluation - PubMed (original) (raw)

The development of the fetal thymus: an in utero sonographic evaluation

Yaron Zalel et al. Prenat Diagn. 2002 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: To establish a nomogram for fetal thymus size during gestation.

Methods: The study is a prospective, cross sectional evaluation of 403 male and female fetuses between 14 and 38 weeks of normal singleton pregnancies. Measurements of fetal thymus size were performed by high resolution transvaginal ultrasonography between 14 and 17 weeks' gestation, and by transabdominal ultrasonography after 18 weeks' gestation.

Results: Adequate thymus size measurements were obtained in all 403 fetuses. Thymus size as a function of gestational age was expressed by the regression equation: (square root) thymus size (mm)= -39.39+4.41 x gestational age (weeks). The correlation coefficient, r=0.965, was found to be highly statistically significant (p<0.0001). The normal mean and the 90% prediction limits were defined.

Conclusion: The present data offer the normal range of fetal thymus size from early stages of gestation that may allow intrauterine assessment of its development. It may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of thymic pathologies.

Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

• Fetal thymus and the 22q11.2 deletion.
  Chaoui R, Körner H, Bommer C, Kalache KD. Chaoui R, et al. Prenat Diagn. 2002 Sep;22(9):839-40. doi: 10.1002/pd.422. Prenat Diagn. 2002. PMID: 12224085 No abstract available.

Similar articles

• The early development of the fetal kidney-an in utero sonographic evaluation between 13 and 22 weeks' gestation.
  Zalel Y, Lotan D, Achiron R, Mashiach S, Gamzu R. Zalel Y, et al. Prenat Diagn. 2002 Nov;22(11):962-5. doi: 10.1002/pd.436. Prenat Diagn. 2002. PMID: 12424756
• The development of the fetal penis--an in utero sonographic evaluation.
  Zalel Y, Pinhas-Hamiel O, Lipitz S, Mashiach S, Achiron R. Zalel Y, et al. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2001 Feb;17(2):129-31. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-0705.2001.00216.x. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2001. PMID: 11251921
• The development of the fetal vermis: an in-utero sonographic evaluation.
  Zalel Y, Seidman DS, Brand N, Lipitz S, Achiron R. Zalel Y, et al. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2002 Feb;19(2):136-9. doi: 10.1046/j.0960-7692.2001.00621.x. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2002. PMID: 11876804
• The thy-box for sonographic assessment of the fetal thymus: nomogram and review of the literature.
  Muñoz-Chápuli M, Gámez F, Bravo C, Ortiz L, Pérez R, De León-Luis JA. Muñoz-Chápuli M, et al. J Ultrasound Med. 2015 May;34(5):853-8. doi: 10.7863/ultra.34.5.853. J Ultrasound Med. 2015. PMID: 25911720 Review.
• Small fetal thymus and adverse obstetrical outcome: a systematic review and a meta-analysis.
  Caissutti C, Familiari A, Khalil A, Flacco ME, Manzoli L, Scambia G, Cagnacci A, D'antonio F. Caissutti C, et al. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2018 Feb;97(2):111-121. doi: 10.1111/aogs.13249. Epub 2017 Dec 6. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2018. PMID: 29057456 Review.

Cited by

• In vitro fertilization pregnancy may cause fetal thymic volume involution: A case-control study.
  Selin Kaya N, Seda Guvendag Guven E, Guven S. Selin Kaya N, et al. Int J Reprod Biomed. 2023 Nov 24;21(10):819-826. doi: 10.18502/ijrm.v21i10.14537. eCollection 2023 Oct. Int J Reprod Biomed. 2023. PMID: 38077943 Free PMC article.
• Prenatal Sonographic Three-dimensional Virtual Organ Computer-assisted Analysis Thymic Volume Calculation May Predict Intrauterine Growth Restriction.
  Dogan Z, Guven ESG, Albayrak M, Guven S. Dogan Z, et al. J Med Ultrasound. 2022 Nov 9;31(3):201-205. doi: 10.4103/jmu.jmu_34_22. eCollection 2023 Jul-Sep. J Med Ultrasound. 2022. PMID: 38019797 Free PMC article.
• An enlarged fetal thymus may be the initial response to intrauterine inflammation in pregnant women at risk for preterm birth.
  Hamamoto TENK, Hatanaka AR, França MS, Sarmento SGP, Helfer TM, Nomura RMY, Araujo Júnior E, Moron AF. Hamamoto TENK, et al. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2023 Apr 17;69(5):e20221678. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20221678. eCollection 2023. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2023. PMID: 37075382 Free PMC article.
• Antenatal diagnosis of chorioamnionitis: A review of the potential role of fetal and placental imaging.
  Hall M, Hutter J, Suff N, Avena Zampieri C, Tribe RM, Shennan A, Rutherford M, Story L. Hall M, et al. Prenat Diagn. 2022 Jul;42(8):1049-1058. doi: 10.1002/pd.6188. Epub 2022 Jun 17. Prenat Diagn. 2022. PMID: 35670265 Free PMC article. Review.
• Nomograms of the fetal thymus for clinical practice.
  Zych-Krekora K, Krekora M, Słodki M, Grzesiak M, Kaczmarek P, Zeman K, Respondek-Liberska M. Zych-Krekora K, et al. Arch Med Sci. 2019 Jul 11;17(6):1657-1662. doi: 10.5114/aoms.2019.86189. eCollection 2021. Arch Med Sci. 2019. PMID: 34900046 Free PMC article.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Wiley