Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the normal volumetric values of thymus tissue by sonography in healthy newborns.Material and Methods: A total of 220 healthy newborns were evaluated by sonography in the first week of life. The shape, size, diameter and thymic index values and variations of both lobes of thymus were evaluated in terms of gestational age, height and weight values and standards were calculated for the reference population.Results: According to the shape on transverse scans; the thymus was quadrilateral in 136 neonates (61%), round in 34 (15%), bilobate in 28 (13%), and crescent shaped in 22 (10%) in transverse scan. On longitudinal scans, the thymus was triangular in 154 infants (70%), teardrop shaped in 35 (16%), oval in 31 (14%). The range of the thymic transverse diameter along with confidence interval was 1.1–3.9 (mean 2.36±0.63), that of the sagittal area was 1.3–4.93 cm2 (mean 3.01±0.77), that of the thymic index was 3.1–16.9 cm3 (mean 9.12±2.53), that of the AP (Right) was 0.40–2.40 cm (mean 1.37±0.3), that of the AP (left) was 0.30–3.3 cm (mean 1.69±0.48) and that of the AP (mean) was 0.35–2.83 (mean±1.27).Conclusion: Knowing the reference values in the neonatal period may be meaningful in evaluating the reactive responses of thymus, which is an immunologic organ in this age population.
Highlights
The thymus is a solid organ responsible for the imminological response of lymphoid tissue elements
The studies evaluating thymus tissue in risky pregnancies in the last trimester are available in the literature [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Measurement of thymic size in the neonatal period may be useful in assessing the general immunological status of the child and response to sepsis in the neonatal period [7,8,9,10,11,12,13]
The patients were evaluated in terms of prenatal and postnatal factors that would cause volumetric changes in thymus tissue and were selected among the patients who did not develop any problems during follow-up
Summary
The thymus is a solid organ responsible for the imminological response of lymphoid tissue elements. The thymus is responsible for T cell differentiation and maturation and exhibits volumetric differences in response to stress. The differences between prenatal and postnatal periods were evaluated by sonography method in intrauterine period. The studies evaluating thymus tissue in risky pregnancies in the last trimester are available in the literature [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Measurement of thymic size in the neonatal period may be useful in assessing the general immunological status of the child and response to sepsis in the neonatal period [7,8,9,10,11,12,13].
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