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Updated: Mar 2, 2026
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Change-point analysis data of neonatal diffusion tensor MRI in preterm and term-born infants
Dan Wu1, Linda Chang2, Kentaro Akazawa1
1Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Insights
This study identifies critical gestational ages at birth (GAB) impacting preterm infant brain development using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Findings reveal how specific GABs alter brain microstructure, offering insights into neurological risks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm birth poses significant neurological risks due to incomplete brain development.
- Understanding critical developmental windows is crucial for predicting and mitigating adverse outcomes in preterm infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify critical gestational ages at birth (GAB) that influence postnatal brain development in preterm infants.
- To analyze the impact of GAB on brain microstructure using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a novel change-point model on DTI data from 43 preterm and 43 term-born infants.
- Analyzed fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axonal diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) in 126 brain regions.
- Correlated diffusivity changes with FA-based change-points to pinpoint critical GABs.
Main Results:
- Presented relative changes in AD and RD concerning FA changes and FA-based change-points.
- Provided AD- and RD-based change-point results, complementing previous FA and MD findings.
- Identified specific gestational age thresholds affecting white matter development in preterm infants.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a detailed mapping of critical gestational ages at birth affecting brain development in preterm infants.
- Findings enhance understanding of neurological risks associated with preterm birth and inform potential interventions.
- Multi-modal DTI analysis offers valuable insights into the timing of brain maturation and vulnerability.
Abstract:
The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled "Mapping the Critical Gestational Age at Birth that Alters Brain Development in Preterm-born Infants using Multi-Modal MRI" (Wu et al., 2017) [1]. Brain immaturity at birth poses critical neurological risks in the preterm-born infants. We used a novel change-point model to analyze the critical gestational age at birth (GAB) that could affect postnatal development, based on diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) acquired from 43 preterm and 43 term-born infants in 126 brain regions. In the corresponding research article, we presented change-point analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivities (MD) measurements in these infants. In this article, we offered the relative changes of axonal and radial diffusivities (AD and RD) in relation to the change of FA and FA-based change-points, and we also provided the AD- and RD-based change-point results.
