Correlation of 3D MRI-Derived Adenohypophysis Volume With Height and Peak GH in Peripubertal Children

Purpose

To investigate correlations between adenohypophysis volume (aPV) quantified by 3D CUBE T1 MRI, height, and peak GH levels (GH max), and evaluate its clinical utility.

Materials and Methods

A total of 380 children (3–12 years) old with suspected growth and development disorders enrolled from May 2020 to July 2022. All of them underwent 3.0T pituitary MRI with 3D CUBE T1WI, serological testing, growth hormone stimulation testing, and aPV and peak GH levels were also measured. Pearson and partial correlation analysis assessed relationships between aPV, height, and peak GH.

Results

Strong aPV correlations with weight (r = 0.603, p < 0.001), age (r = 0.575, p < 0.001), and height (r = 0.665, p < 0.001) were observed in adolescent children. There was no significant correlation between aPV and peak GH (r = 0.083, p = 0.105), and between peak GH value and height (r = −0.108, p = 0.036) in adolescent children. No gender-based aPV difference was observed using the Mann–Whitney U test (p > 0.05). After covariate adjustment (age, gender, weight), there were a significant aPV and height correlation (r = 0.250, p < 0.001), a significant aPV and peak GH correlation (r = 0.246, p < 0.001), and a significant peak GH and height correlation (r = 0.176, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

After controlling confounders, the correlation between the aPV and height exceeds the correlation between peak GH and height. aPV reflects not only GH secretion but also integrated endocrine regulation of growth thorough multiple hormones. 3D CUBE T1 volumetry provides a clinically valuable non-invasive method for assessing growth and development disorders.