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The role of isotropic diffusion MRI in children under 2 years of age

F M Gelal1, P E Grant, N J Fischbein

  • 1Department of Radiology, University of California, 505 Parnassus Avenue L-371, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628, USA. fgelal@ixir.com

European Radiology
|June 23, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Diffusion MR imaging aids in detecting and characterizing infant brain lesions within one week of symptom onset. This advanced technique is valuable for conditions like leukodystrophies and acute ischemic injuries in young children.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroradiology
  • Pediatric Imaging
  • Medical Imaging Physics

Background:

  • Standard MRI is crucial for evaluating pediatric neurological conditions.
  • Diffusion MR imaging offers unique insights into tissue microstructure.
  • The utility of diffusion MR in infants with acute symptoms requires further definition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the added value of diffusion MR imaging (dMRI) in pediatric neuroradiology for children under two years old.
  • To determine if dMRI improves lesion detection and characterization compared to standard MRI sequences.

Main Methods:

  • Seventy-five infants under two years underwent standard MRI with added echo-planar diffusion sequences.
  • Diffusion-weighted images (DWI), attenuation coefficient maps (ACM), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were generated.
  • Two neuroradiologists evaluated the contribution of DWI and ACM to standard spin-echo proton density (SE PD) and T2-weighted images.

Main Results:

  • Diffusion MR imaging provided additional diagnostic information in 15 of 18 abnormalities in patients with symptom duration less than one week.
  • Diffusion sequences detected five new lesions, enhanced conspicuity of six lesions, and characterized diffusion properties of four lesions.
  • Diffusion MR added no information in patients with symptoms exceeding seven days.

Conclusions:

  • Isotropic diffusion MR imaging significantly contributes to lesion detection and characterization in infants presenting with symptoms of less than one week's duration.
  • Diffusion MR is a valuable tool for diagnosing conditions such as leukodystrophies, metabolic disorders, and acute ischemic lesions in infants.
  • The timing of symptom onset is critical for the diagnostic yield of diffusion MR imaging in this age group.

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