Macroscopic Characteristics of Children's Thymus According to Ct-Images Data According to Age and Gender

Abstract

The research purpose was to analyze images of computed tomography of the chest to study the size of the normal thymus in children and adolescents and to identify differences taking into account age and gender characteristics. Materials and methods: CT images of chest organs of 100 patients aged 3 to 18 years, performed on the basis of the Regional Clinical Tuberculosis Dispensary Public Health Institution of the Kursk Region Health Committee using the RadiAnt DICOM Viewer program, were retrospectively studied. For morphometry, we proposed a thymic-thoracic index. Results and discussion: the obtained dimensional characteristics of the thymus have differences in comparison with published data. In particular, at the age of 11-18 years, in women, the size of the gland is smaller than in the younger age group (3–10 years), while, according to the literature, the maximum size of the thymus is in the puberty period. Conclusions: the morphometric differences in the dimensional characteristics of the thymus revealed in this study indicate the need to study this organ in sexual and age aspects, with a view to their further use in the clinic.