Imaging of the brain in children

As proclaimed by the National Institutes of Health, the 1990s have been designated the "decade of the brain." Within this decade, we can expect to see an emergence of functional imaging in addition to the traditional role of anatomic neuroimaging to separate normal from pathologic anatomy. Technical advances continue to redefine the upper limits of resolution for both anatomic and functional imaging and provide us with a greater understanding of how disease processes affect normal brain growth and development. For example, whereas improvements in anatomic resolution will provide greater insight into understanding congenital malformations of the brain, through functional imaging, we will better understand the effect of disease on normal brain growth and development.