Year: 2019
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction:A cross sectional study was conducted to observe morphological and developmental changes occurring in thymus gland at various gestational age among human fetuses.The morphometric measurements of thymus is useful in calculating size as intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and cellular immune deficiency of infant is associated with a significant decrease in fetal thymic size. Materials & Methods:This study was carried on medically aborted and stillborn fetuses (n=31; F=21, M=10), which were obtained from Dr. Sushila Tiwari Memorial Hospital, Haldwani, (Uttarakhand,) with due consent of parents.Fetuses were preserved in 10% formalin.Thymic gland was dissected out to observe its weight, length and thickness.Results: Thymus glands were located in superior mediastinum.On gross examination, they were of greyish pink to greyish brown in colour.Most of the glands were bilobed and few were irregular in shape.There was progressive increase in all morphometric dimensions of thymus in relation to gestational age.Growth of right lobe of thymus was comparatively more than of left lobe.Conclusion: Thymic morphometric parameters in relation to gestational age can be used as reference values in imaging studies in the prenatal and in initial perinatal stages, so we could compare the normal morphology with that of in IUGR and immune deficiency.
Source: Journal of Anatomical Sciences
Institution: Government Medical College
Language: English
Subfield: Anatomy
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3023136992