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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
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State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates
Published on: February 2, 2015
Neonatal neuroimaging: going beyond the pictures
Luca A Ramenghi1, Mary Rutherford, Monica Fumagalli
1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit-Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Mangiagalli e Regina Elena University Department of Mother and Infant Sciences, Univeristy of Milan, Italy. lucrameng@hotmail.com
Early Human Development
|October 2, 2009
Summary
Advanced neonatal brain imaging, including Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), helps identify subtle white matter abnormalities in preterm infants, predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Neurology
- Pediatric Radiology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Cerebral ultrasound is a traditional tool for diagnosing brain lesions in newborns.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI), and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) offer advanced diagnostic capabilities for neonatal brain conditions.
- While MRI is established for term newborns, its application in preterm infants for predicting neurological outcomes is emerging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of advanced neuroimaging techniques like DWI and DTI in diagnosing brain abnormalities in preterm infants.
- To identify imaging markers that can predict cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders in preterm neonates.
- To understand the relationship between white matter microstructure and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) to assess apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in white matter.
- Employing Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) to measure fractional anisotropy (FA) and map white matter tracts.
- Applying tractography to analyze connectivity and structure-function relationships in the immature brain.
Main Results:
- Higher ADC values in white matter were associated with poorer neurodevelopmental assessment in infants without focal lesions.
- Lower FA values in some white matter regions suggest widespread abnormalities in preterm brains, even without focal lesions.
- Tractography revealed associations between white matter microstructure and functional outcomes, such as visual assessment.
Conclusions:
- Advanced neuroimaging, particularly DWI and DTI, provides crucial insights into early brain development and injury in preterm infants.
- These techniques can detect subtle white matter abnormalities and predict neurodevelopmental outcomes, aiding in the understanding of neurobehavioral disorders.
- Technological advancements in neonatal brain imaging are vital for understanding the origins of neurodevelopmental disorders in early structural organization and maturation.
