Measurement of lateral ventricle volume of normal infant based on magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND: Many neurophysiological diseases during infancy stage are associated with the morphology and size of the lateral ventricle. This research aims to measure the normal value range of lateral ventricle volume of normal infant and thus provide basic data for clinical treatment. METHOD: By retrospective analysis of magnetic resonance inspection (MRI) cranial image of 165 infants in the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, the infants were divided into four groups according to their age, including the first group (1~3 month, n = 12), the second group (4~6 month, n = 33), the third group (7~9 month, n = 51), and the fourth group (10~12 month, n = 69). On Neurosoft image workstation, it can measure the sectional area of the lateral ventricle volume at each layer of axis T2W image and calculate the lateral ventricle volume using the Cavalieri method. Moreover, the correlations between lateral ventricle volume and gender, side difference, and month age were analyzed. RESULTS: 95% confidence interval of total bilateral ventricle volume of normal infant: 11920.22~14,266.28 mm(3) for male infant and 9922.22~12,263.17 mm(3) for female infant; 95% confidence interval of left side ventricle volume: 6254.72~7546.94 mm(3) for male infant and 5206.03~6479.99 mm(3) for female infant; 95% confidence interval of right side ventricle volume: 5041.56~6743.29 mm(3) for male infant and 4695.00~5804.40 mm(3) for female infant. The lateral ventricle volume of the male infant was normally larger than that of the female infant (p < 0.05). For both male and female infants, the left side ventricle volume was larger than the right ventricle volume (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in lateral ventricle volume between infants over 3 months old. CONCLUSION: The normal value range of lateral ventricle volume of the infant can be obtained via referring MRI image. The lateral ventricle volume of infant varies upon gender and ventricle side.