ABSTRACT
Objective: To use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify the follicle number per ovary (FNPO) using biplanar measurements and determine the ovarian volume (OV) using three-dimensional measurements in adolescents and young adults with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and controls and compare the differences between these groups; to examine the relationships between FNPO and OV and metabolic markers associated with PCOS; to compare OV obtained by use of MRI and ultrasound between young patients with PCOS and controls. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Outpatient within a major medical center in New York City. Patients: Adolescent girls and young women aged 13-25 years with PCOS (n = 16) and body mass index-, age-, and ethnicity-comparable control subjects (n = 15). Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measures: The OV and FNPO by use of MRI, OV by use of transabdominal pelvic ultrasound, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical and hormonal evaluation. Results: The FNPO was higher in participants with PCOS (23.7 ± 4.6 follicles) than in controls (15.2 ± 4 follicles) when adjusted for menstrual age. The OV by use of ultrasound was higher in participants with PCOS (11.7 ± 5.6 mL) than in controls (8.1 ± 3.4 mL); however, OV by use of MRI did not differ between the groups. The OV by use of MRI and ultrasound correlated in participants with PCOS (r = 0.62) but not in controls. Conclusions: Our results are in line with prior studies showing that FNPO may be a more sensitive measure of polycystic ovary morphology than OV. The results of this study support the use of ovarian k, a promising diagnostic tool for PCOS, in young patients.
