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Updated: Aug 20, 2026
Non-invasive Optical Measurement of Cerebral Metabolism and Hemodynamics in Infants
Published on: March 14, 2013
Changes in cerebral glucose metabolism in newborn infants with cerebral infarction
Takashi Kusaka1, Sonoko Ijichi, Yuka Yamamoto
1Maternal Perinatal Center, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
Insights
Neonatal cerebral infarction shows unique blood flow and metabolic changes compared to older patients. This study observed acute increases followed by decreases in these parameters in infants, aiding diagnosis of neurological impairments.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Medical imaging
Background:
- Cerebral infarction in infants presents differently than in adults.
- Standard imaging techniques like MRI and CT cannot measure cerebral blood flow or metabolic activity.
- Understanding these parameters is crucial for diagnosing neonatal neurological impairments.
Observation:
- This study investigated regional cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolic rates in neonatal infarction using SPECT and PET.
- Two term infants with neonatal infarction were studied during acute and subacute phases.
- One infant experienced apneic episodes, the other acute clonic seizures.
Findings:
- Acute and subacute increases in cerebral blood flow and metabolic rate were observed in the infarcted areas of both infants.
- Follow-up studies revealed decreased blood flow and metabolic rates in the infarcted regions.
- These changes followed a different pattern and time course than in older patients.
Implications:
- The findings enhance understanding of the relationship between blood flow and metabolic rate changes post-neonatal infarction.
- This research can improve the diagnostic accuracy of neurological impairments in neonates.
- It highlights the dynamic nature of cerebral blood flow and metabolism in infant stroke.
Abstract:
Cerebral infarction in infants is not uncommon, and it differs in many important ways from cerebral infarction in older children and adults. Computed tomography, ultrasound, and conventional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging are useful for diagnosing cerebral infarction, but these imaging techniques cannot be used to measure cerebral blood flow and metabolic activity. Abnormality in those parameters seems to follow a different pattern and time course than those in older patients. In this study, the rapid changes in regional cerebral blood flow and metabolic rate of glucose were estimated by single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography during the acute and subacute phases of neonatal infarction. Subacute increases in blood flow and metabolic rate in the infarcted area of a term infant with multiple apneic episodes within 2 days after birth were observed, as well as acute increases in both in the infarcted area of a term infant with acute clonic seizures within 24 hours after birth. Follow-up studies at 4 months for the first infant and at 10 days for the second infant demonstrated that both the blood flow and metabolic rate in the infarcted region decreased. The results of this study should contribute to an understanding of the relationship between blood flow and metabolic rate changes after neonatal infarction as well as to improvement of diagnosis of neurologic impairments in neonates.
