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Cerebral maturation in the early preterm period-A magnetization transfer and diffusion tensor imaging study using
Revital Nossin-Manor1, Dallas Card2, Charles Raybaud3
1Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada.
Neuroimage
|March 4, 2015
Summary
This study reveals age-related changes in brain development for very preterm infants using advanced MRI. Magnetization transfer ratio and diffusion tensor imaging show significant increases and decreases in key brain regions during early development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Early brain development in preterm neonates is critical for long-term outcomes.
- Quantitative MRI techniques like MTR and DTI offer insights into microstructural changes.
- Understanding normal developmental trajectories is essential for identifying potential abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the age-dependent changes in magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters in the developing preterm brain.
- To map these changes in 3D across the brain using advanced imaging analysis.
- To correlate in vivo MRI findings with histological data and propose a biophysical model of brain maturation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a cohort of 18 very preterm neonates (27-31 gestational weeks) with normal radiological findings.
- Employed non-linear image registration, tissue segmentation, and voxel-wise regression for cross-sectional analysis.
- Analyzed Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)-derived parameters including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD).
Main Results:
- Observed significant linear increases and decreases in MTR and DTI parameters across the preterm brain.
- The cerebral wall's lamination pattern was discernible on parametric and regression coefficient maps.
- Frontal white matter showed a decrease in MTR; the intermediate zone exhibited decreased FA and increased MD (driven by RD), while the subplate showed increased MD (driven by AD and RD).
Conclusions:
- Quantitative MRI can effectively map age-dependent microstructural changes in the developing preterm brain.
- Distinct regional patterns of change in MTR and DTI parameters reflect specific maturational processes.
- A biophysical model integrating in vivo MRI and histological data can elucidate the relationship between microstructural changes and brain maturation.
