Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies
Objective: To present the reference range of the fetal thymus gland according to gestational age groups. Methods: In this prospective study, fetal thymus size was assessed in singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies between 19 and 38 weeks of gestation in our outpatient clinic between 2019 and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Perinatal Medicine Foundation
2022-04-01
|
| Series: | Perinatal Journal |
| Online Access: | https://perinataljournal.com/Archive/Article/20220301014 |
| _version_ | 1828031710803001344 |
|---|---|
| author | Şafak Yılmaz Baran Gülşen Doğan Durdağ Şirin Aydın Didem Alkaş Yağınç Songül Alemdaroğlu Tayfun Çok Hakan Kalaycı |
| author_facet | Şafak Yılmaz Baran Gülşen Doğan Durdağ Şirin Aydın Didem Alkaş Yağınç Songül Alemdaroğlu Tayfun Çok Hakan Kalaycı |
| author_sort | Şafak Yılmaz Baran |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: To present the reference range of the fetal thymus gland according to gestational age groups. Methods: In this prospective study, fetal thymus size was assessed in singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies between 19 and 38 weeks of gestation in our outpatient clinic between 2019 and 2020. Based on their monthly pregnancy follow-ups, fetal thymus measurement was divided into 5 gestational age groups (Group 1: 19–22 weeks, Group 2: 23–26 weeks, Group 3: 27–30 weeks, Group 4: 31–34 weeks, and Group 5: 35–38 weeks). Results: Fetal thymus measurements of 210 patients were performed over one year, and as a result, 184 pregnant patients were included for assessment. Fetal thymus could be visualized at a rate of 93.5%. The 5th percentile of thymus transverse diameter, antero-posterior diameter, perimeter, thymus anterior-posterior diameter to thoracic diameter, and thymus perimeter to thoracic circumference were 11.03 mm, 5.60 mm, 32.52 mm, 0.33, and 0.32 in Group 1; 13.53 mm, 7.66 mm, 43.67 mm, 0.34, and 0.32 in Group 2; 20.43 mm, 11.22 mm, 47.72 mm, 0.33, and 0.32 in Group 3; 27 mm, 12.98 mm, 55.88 mm, 0.32, and 0.30 in Group 4; 28 mm, 13.59 mm, 63.4 mm, 0.32, and 0.30 in Group 5; respectively. Spearman’s rho correlation coefficients for the thymic measurements were 0.879, 0.869, 0.846, 0.236, and 0.267 respectively, and all p-values were less than 0.001. As a result of linear regression analysis between thymus measurements and BPD; the equations for the optimal models are as follows: thymus transverse diameter= -3.49+0.4xBPD (mm) (r=0.826, R2=0.682, p<0.001), thymus anterior-posterior diameter= -2.48+0.22xBPD (mm) (r=0.808, R2=0.653, p<0.001), thymus perimeter= -14.37+1.21xBPD (mm) (r=0.814, R2=0.663, p<0.001), thymus anterior-posterior diameter /thoracic diameter= 0.38+7.76E-4xBPD (r=0.213, R2=0.045, p=0.004) and thymus perimeter/thoracic circumference= 0.35+1.02E-3xBPD (r=0.263, R2=0.069, p<0.001). Thymus transverse diameter, anterior-posterior diameter, and perimeter increased linearly with increasing biparietal diameter (BPD). Conclusion: We established the reference ranges of fetal thymus size. Thymus transverse diameter, antero-posterior diameter, and thymus perimeter have a strong relationship with gestational age and are easy and reproducible. Therefore, the knowledge of reference ranges of fetal thymus will enable the evaluation of thymic aplasia/hypoplasia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T14:52:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c7bd2f56be884aa988584d6b627b9462 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1305-3124 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T14:52:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Perinatal Medicine Foundation |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Perinatal Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-c7bd2f56be884aa988584d6b627b94622023-02-15T16:07:32ZengPerinatal Medicine FoundationPerinatal Journal1305-31242022-04-01301667410.2399/prn.22.0301014Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnanciesŞafak Yılmaz Baranhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5874-7324Gülşen Doğan Durdağhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5064-5267Şirin Aydınhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6176-925XDidem Alkaş Yağınçhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8309-3537Songül Alemdaroğluhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4335-6659Tayfun Çokhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1244-7419Hakan Kalaycıhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2054-7102 Objective: To present the reference range of the fetal thymus gland according to gestational age groups. Methods: In this prospective study, fetal thymus size was assessed in singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies between 19 and 38 weeks of gestation in our outpatient clinic between 2019 and 2020. Based on their monthly pregnancy follow-ups, fetal thymus measurement was divided into 5 gestational age groups (Group 1: 19–22 weeks, Group 2: 23–26 weeks, Group 3: 27–30 weeks, Group 4: 31–34 weeks, and Group 5: 35–38 weeks). Results: Fetal thymus measurements of 210 patients were performed over one year, and as a result, 184 pregnant patients were included for assessment. Fetal thymus could be visualized at a rate of 93.5%. The 5th percentile of thymus transverse diameter, antero-posterior diameter, perimeter, thymus anterior-posterior diameter to thoracic diameter, and thymus perimeter to thoracic circumference were 11.03 mm, 5.60 mm, 32.52 mm, 0.33, and 0.32 in Group 1; 13.53 mm, 7.66 mm, 43.67 mm, 0.34, and 0.32 in Group 2; 20.43 mm, 11.22 mm, 47.72 mm, 0.33, and 0.32 in Group 3; 27 mm, 12.98 mm, 55.88 mm, 0.32, and 0.30 in Group 4; 28 mm, 13.59 mm, 63.4 mm, 0.32, and 0.30 in Group 5; respectively. Spearman’s rho correlation coefficients for the thymic measurements were 0.879, 0.869, 0.846, 0.236, and 0.267 respectively, and all p-values were less than 0.001. As a result of linear regression analysis between thymus measurements and BPD; the equations for the optimal models are as follows: thymus transverse diameter= -3.49+0.4xBPD (mm) (r=0.826, R2=0.682, p<0.001), thymus anterior-posterior diameter= -2.48+0.22xBPD (mm) (r=0.808, R2=0.653, p<0.001), thymus perimeter= -14.37+1.21xBPD (mm) (r=0.814, R2=0.663, p<0.001), thymus anterior-posterior diameter /thoracic diameter= 0.38+7.76E-4xBPD (r=0.213, R2=0.045, p=0.004) and thymus perimeter/thoracic circumference= 0.35+1.02E-3xBPD (r=0.263, R2=0.069, p<0.001). Thymus transverse diameter, anterior-posterior diameter, and perimeter increased linearly with increasing biparietal diameter (BPD). Conclusion: We established the reference ranges of fetal thymus size. Thymus transverse diameter, antero-posterior diameter, and thymus perimeter have a strong relationship with gestational age and are easy and reproducible. Therefore, the knowledge of reference ranges of fetal thymus will enable the evaluation of thymic aplasia/hypoplasia.https://perinataljournal.com/Archive/Article/20220301014 |
| spellingShingle | Şafak Yılmaz Baran Gülşen Doğan Durdağ Şirin Aydın Didem Alkaş Yağınç Songül Alemdaroğlu Tayfun Çok Hakan Kalaycı Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies Perinatal Journal |
| title | Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies |
| title_full | Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies |
| title_fullStr | Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies |
| title_short | Fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies |
| title_sort | fetal thymus reference range in healthy singleton pregnancies |
| url | https://perinataljournal.com/Archive/Article/20220301014 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT safakyılmazbaran fetalthymusreferencerangeinhealthysingletonpregnancies AT gulsendogandurdag fetalthymusreferencerangeinhealthysingletonpregnancies AT sirinaydın fetalthymusreferencerangeinhealthysingletonpregnancies AT didemalkasyagınc fetalthymusreferencerangeinhealthysingletonpregnancies AT songulalemdaroglu fetalthymusreferencerangeinhealthysingletonpregnancies AT tayfuncok fetalthymusreferencerangeinhealthysingletonpregnancies AT hakankalaycı fetalthymusreferencerangeinhealthysingletonpregnancies |