4.5 Article

Evolution of T1 Relaxation, ADC, and Fractional Anisotropy during Early Brain Maturation: A Serial Imaging Study on Preterm Infants

Journal

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NEURORADIOLOGY
Volume 37, Issue 1, Pages 155-162

Publisher

AMER SOC NEURORADIOLOGY
DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A4510

Keywords

-

Funding

  1. Swiss National Science Foundation [33CM30-124101]
  2. Leenaards Foundation
  3. Centre d'Imagerie BioMedicale of the University of Lausanne
  4. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
  5. University of Geneva
  6. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois
  7. Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve
  8. Jeantet Foundation

Ask authors/readers for more resources

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The alteration of brain maturation in preterm infants contributes to neurodevelopmental disabilities during childhood. Serial imaging allows understanding of the mechanisms leading to dysmaturation in the preterm brain. The purpose of the present study was to provide reference quantitative MR imaging measures across time in preterm infants, by using ADC, fractional anisotropy, and T1 maps obtained by using the magnetization-prepared dual rapid acquisition of gradient echo technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included preterm neonates born at <30 weeks of gestational age without major brain lesions on early cranial sonography and performed 3 MRIs (3T) from birth to term-equivalent age. Multiple measurements (ADC, fractional anisotropy, and T1 relaxation) were performed on each examination in 12 defined white and gray matter ROIs. RESULTS: We acquired 107 MRIs (35 early, 33 intermediary, and 39 at term-equivalent age) in 39 cerebral low-risk preterm infants. Measures of T1 relaxation time showed a gradual and significant decrease with time in a region- and hemispheric-specific manner. ADC values showed a similar decline with time, but with more variability than T1 relaxation. An increase of fractional anisotropy values was observed in WM regions and inversely a decrease in the cortex. CONCLUSIONS: The gradual change with time reflects the progressive maturation of the cerebral microstructure in white and gray matter. Our study provides reference trajectories from 25 to 40 weeks of gestation of T1 relaxation, ADC, and fractional anisotropy values in low-risk preterm infants. We speculate that deviation thereof might reflect disturbed cerebral maturation; the correlation of this disturbed maturation with neurodevelopmental outcome remains to be addressed.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.5
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available