Gender Differences In Children: Imaging For Disease Prevention?

7/30/2002

From: Maureen Morley, 630-590-7754 or mmorley@rsna.org Marijo Millette Zerfoss, 630-590-7727 or mzerfoss@rsna.org both of Radiological Society of North America

OAK BROOK, Ill., July 30 -- The following was released today by the Radiological Society of North America:

It may now be possible to determine if a young girl will be susceptible to bone fracturing as an adult woman, or if a young boy is prone to accumulating fat that could lead him to increased risk of cardiovascular disease as a grown man. A study appearing in the August issue of Radiology reports that computed tomography (CT) can detect gender-based disease susceptibilities at a very early age, and may suggest future implications for early management to prevent many adult-onset diseases.

"Common adult diseases, such as osteoporosis, type II diabetes and hypertension, have their antecedents during childhood," explains Vicente Gilsanz, M.D., Ph.D, senior author of the study out of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Furthermore, Dr. Gilsanz states, "Certain traits associated with negative health outcomes in adults, such as low bone density, a precursor to osteoporosis, or high visceral fat, which can lead to cardiovascular disease, can be measured in children."

While earlier studies have documented gender traits in older children, this study found differences in musculoskeletal development and fat accumulation in prepubertal girls and boys. Using CT scans to measure fat, muscle and bone in 31 pairs of healthy Caucasian girls and boys matched for age (between 5 and 10 years old), height and weight, investigators found that girls had significantly greater total fat, and significantly less musculature and smaller bones than boys. Both sexes had a similar level of visceral fat. However, adult males typically have more visceral fat than females, indicating that boys will tend to accumulate this fat at a greater rate than girls between childhood and adulthood.

"Hence, gender difference as a risk factor for osteoporotic fractures and cardiovascular disease can be attributed, in part, to the different accumulation of bone and visceral fat during growth," says Dr. Gilsanz.

The findings support a potential future role of imaging as a tool for prevention of disease. Recognition that a young girl with low bone density may be predisposed to later fracturing and osteoporosis could lead to very early intervention to establish habits, such as exercise, to reduce or avoid these future conditions.

More data are needed before imaging can be recommended for use as a screening tool in very young children. But, Dr. Gilsanz adds, "I wouldn't be surprised if, in the decades to come, pediatricians will deal with deficiency in kids to avoid development of diseases later in life."

Radiology is a monthly scientific journal devoted to clinical radiology and allied sciences. The journal is edited by Anthony V. Proto, M.D., School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va. Radiology is owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Inc. The RSNA is an association of more than 30,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists and physicists in medicine dedicated to education and research in the science of radiology.