[A magnetic resonance study of 39 children with different causes of short stature]

To investigate the relationship between Magnetic Resonance (MR) findings and the presence of isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) or multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD).39 children, 27 boys and 12 girls (mean age 9.6 years) were enrolled. The growth hormone deficiency and MPHD were defined by standard laboratory methods. MR scans of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal tract were carried out on all patients before the therapy. Perinatal histories were reviewed.The pituitary anterior lobe was considered small in 13/39 (33%). Twenty-six of 39 (66%) patients did not show any abnormalities of the hypothalamohypophyseal tract. An ectopic neurohypophysis was found in 8/39 patients (20%). Only 2 patients among those with an ectopic neurohypophysis showed a small anterior pituitary lobe. Thirty-three of 39 (84.6%) patients showed IGHD while 6/39 (15.4%) patients showed MPHD. Twenty-eight of 39 (71%) patients had a severe deficiency while 11/39 (28%) patients had a moderate deficiency.Our study confirms the usefulness of MRI in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to short stature in children; in fact 48% of patients in our series showed MR findings reasonably related to hormonal deficiency.