A comparative analysis of the relationship between stature and ultrasound dimensions of internal organs in adolescents

Abstract

The aim of the study was a comparative characteristic of the size of internal organs according to ultrasonography data in subjects with various deviations in stature, determined using international standardized norms. Materials and methods. The stature was measured in 93 adolescents, aged 13 to 17 years. Based on the measurements, the Z-score of body length was calculated according to the WHO Growth Reference, 2007 and three groups were formed for comparing the sizes of internal organs: average, above average, below average. Ultrasonography data of the internal organs dimensions and thyroid gland was performed using a Toshiba Aplio 500 ultrasound scanner. Results. There were statistically significantly lower values of the liver span and the longitudinal size of the gallbladder in the examined subjects from the below average group compared to the rest of the subjects. The length of the spleen and the total volume of the thyroid gland were statistically significantly different in subjects from all three groups, with the highest values in volunteers from the above average group. A weak direct correlation was shown between the Z-score of body length and liver span, the length of the cauda of the pancreas, and the width of the spleen. An average direct statistical relationship was found between the Z-score of stature and the length of the spleen, as well as the total volume of the thyroid gland. Conclusion. To a greater extent, body length is associated with the size of the parenchymal organs with a pronounced connective tissue frame - the liver and spleen, as well as the thyroid gland due to the relationship of its volume with hormones that regulate growth and development. Clinical substantiation of the relationship between the structure of the body and internal organs opens up the possibility of creating anatomical standards that allow ultrasound morphometric assessment of internal organs, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patients body size.