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Prematurity and brain perfusion: Arterial spin labeling MRI
Domenico Tortora1, Peter Angelo Mattei2, Riccardo Navarra3
1ITAB-Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University "G. d'Annunzio", Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy; Neuroradiology Unit, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147 Genoa, Italy.
Neuroimage. Clinical
|June 13, 2017
Summary
Altered brain perfusion in preterm infants (PN) was detected using ASL MRI. Lower cerebral blood flow (CBF) in basal ganglia correlated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes in these neonates.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Neuroimaging
- Perinatal medicine
Background:
- Abnormal brain perfusion is a key factor in neonatal brain injury.
- Cerebral blood flow (CBF) assessment is crucial for understanding neonatal brain development and injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare CBF using ASL MRI in preterm neonates with and without brain lesions (PN and PNp) and term neonates (TN).
- To explore the correlation between CBF and clinical outcomes in these groups.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 49 preterm neonates (PN) and 15 term neonates (TN).
- ASL MRI was used to evaluate CBF at term-equivalent age.
- Statistical analyses included linear mixed-model and Mann-Whitney U tests for CBF differences and logistic regression for outcome correlation.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher whole-brain CBF was observed in PN compared to TN (P=0.011).
- This difference was also significant across frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and cerebellar gray matter.
- Lower CBF in the basal ganglia of PN neonates was associated with worse neuromotor outcomes at 12 months (P=0.012).
Conclusions:
- ASL MRI revealed distinct brain perfusion patterns in the basal ganglia between preterm and term neonates.
- A positive correlation between CBF in the basal ganglia and neuromotor outcome was identified in preterm neonates.
