The local shear wave speed (in meters per second) and Young modulus (in kilopascals) of normal thyroid glands were defined in healthy children to determine reference values. This prospective study assessed 107 pediatric cases (age interval, 3–17 years; mean, 9.37 ± 3.68 years), including 52 boys and 55 girls. The study group included children without thyroid gland disease (autoimmune, infectious, or neoplastic). Data about the sex, age, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) of the subjects were recorded for all subjects. Elasticity values were measured from 3 different sites in both thyroid lobes and averaged. Median values for elasticity and shear wave velocity measured in bilateral thyroid lobes were 6.38 ± 1.97 kPa (range, 3.00–12.5 kPa) and 1.45 ± 0.21 m/s (range, 1.03–2.04 m/s) on the right and 8.81 ± 3.00 kPa (range, 3.80–22.6 kPa) and 1.69 ± 0.26 m/s (range, 1.13–2.68 m/s) on the left. There was no significant difference between the elasticity values for the right and left thyroid lobes between boys and girls. There was a positive correlation between right thyroid lobe mean elasticity (in kilopascals) and shear wave velocity (in meters per second) values with age, BMI, and right thyroid lobe volume in the whole group. No significant correlation was found between left thyroid lobe mean elasticity (in kilopascals) and shear wave velocity (in meters per second) values with age, BMI, and left thyroid lobe volume in the study population. This study determined mean elasticity and shear wave velocity values for thyroid gland in healthy children. This information can be used as a baseline for the investigation of thyroid diseases.

Background: Morphometric measurements of lumbar vertebrae are different in European and Asian populations. Transpedicular screws are candidates for the ideal method to treat instability of lumbar vertebrae and provide very strong stabilization. Our study reflects the variation of morphometric measurements of lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population according to sex, age, and height Purpose: The aim of our study was to measure the transverse pedicle diameter (TPD), vertical pedicle diameter (VPD), pedicle axis length (PAL), and transverse pedicle angle (TPA) of the lumbar vertebrae using 3D-CT and assess variations according to sex, age, and height. Materials and methods: Prospective cohort, Therapeutic Level III, Urban Level III Trauma Center. The study design adopted a morphometric analysis using three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) of the lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population, with variation in terms of sex, age, and height and comparison with previous studies. In 240 cases, measurements of TPC, VPD, PAL, and TPA with 3D-CT were performed on a total of 1200 lumbar vertebrae. The values at each lumbar level were compared in groups based on sex, age, and height. Results: The results of our study determined the normal values of TPD, VPD, PAL, and TPA of lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population using 3D-CT. Additionally there were variations in TPD, VPD, and PAL according to sex, age, and height. TPA varied according to age, while no difference was found in terms of sex or height. Conclusions: The morphometric measurements of lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population are similar to western populations. Sex, age, and height are factors affecting reliable screw choice. Background: Morphometric measurements of lumbar vertebrae are different in European and Asian populations. Transpedicular screws are candidates for the ideal method to treat instability of lumbar vertebrae and provide very strong stabilization. Our study reflects the variation of morphometric measurements of lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population according to sex, age, and height Purpose: The aim of our study was to measure the transverse pedicle diameter (TPD), vertical pedicle diameter (VPD), pedicle axis length (PAL), and transverse pedicle angle (TPA) of the lumbar vertebrae using 3D-CT and assess variations according to sex, age, and height. Materials and methods: Prospective cohort, Therapeutic Level III, Urban Level III Trauma Center. The study design adopted a morphometric analysis using three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) of the lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population, with variation in terms of sex, age, and height and comparison with previous studies. In 240 cases, measurements of TPC, VPD, PAL, and TPA with 3D-CT were performed on a total of 1200 lumbar vertebrae. The values at each lumbar level were compared in groups based on sex, age, and height. Results: The results of our study determined the normal values of TPD, VPD, PAL, and TPA of lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population using 3D-CT. Additionally there were variations in TPD, VPD, and PAL according to sex, age, and height. TPA varied according to age, while no difference was found in terms of sex or height. Conclusions: The morphometric measurements of lumbar vertebrae in the Turkish population are similar to western populations. Sex, age, and height are factors affecting reliable screw choice.

Thymus grows after birth, reaches maximal size after the first few years and involutes by puberty. Because of the postnatal developmental and involutional duration, we aimed toinvestigate normal stiffness values of mediastinal thymus by shear wave elastography (SWE) in different age groups of children and discuss imaging findings of thymus. We prospectively examined 146 children (90 girls, 56 boys) who underwent a thyroid or neck ultrasound examination. All subjects underwent ultrasound and SWE evaluation of mediastinal thymus by parasternal and suprasternal approach. We subdivided the subjects based on the ages as 0 to 2 months (group 1), >2 to 6 months (group 2); >6 months to 2 years (group 3), >2 to 5 years (group 4), >5 to 8 years (group 5), and greater than 8 years old (group 6).We investigated differences of mean shear wave elasticity (kPa) and shear wave velocity (m/sec) values among age groups and the association of SWE values with age, body mass index (BMI), height, and weight of the patients. Medians and ranges of age, height, weight, and BMI were 24 (2-84) months, 85 (55-120) cm, 12(4.55-22) kg, 15.37 (13.92-17.51) kg/m2, 11 (2.64-23.15) cc, respectively. Mean shear wave elasticity of thymus when all participants were included was 6.76±1.04 kPa. Differences of mean elasticity values among age groups and also gender groups were not statistically significant. There were highly significant negative correlations among age (r:0.3), height (r:0.26), weight (r:0.3) with elasticity and also velocity values (p<0.001). The thymus elasticity is negatively correlated with age. Quantitative evaluation of the thymus by SWE provides normative stiffness values based on age and gender groups. The thymus elasticity decreases with increased age, height and weight.