Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 9, Issue 5 279-283, Copyright © 1990 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Serial adrenal ultrasonography in normal neonates
E. M. Scott, A. Thomas, H. H. McGarrigle and G. C. Lachelin
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College and Middlesex School of Medicine, London, England.
Six serial ultrasound scans were performed on each of 12 healthy term
babies on days 1, 3, 5, 11, 21, and 42 of extrauterine life in order to
determine normal neonatal values for various adrenal parameters.
Measurements were made of transverse and anteroposterior diameters, of
circumference and area in the transverse plane, and of longitudinal length
of the adrenals and kidneys. There was a significant decrease in all
adrenal parameters of 22%, 25%, 25%, 44%, and 34%, respectively, between
days 1 and 5 (p less than .002) and of 46%, 39%, 46%, 67%, and 55%,
respectively, between days 1 and 42 (p less than .00005), whereas the
kidneys increased in size over the same period.
