Multidelay Arterial Spin-Labeling MRI in Neonates and Infants: Cerebral Perfusion Changes during Brain Maturation

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Pediatric Neurology
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Cerebral blood flow (CBF) assessment in neonates and infants is crucial for understanding brain development and detecting abnormalities.
• Traditional methods may have limitations in accurately measuring CBF in this population.
• Arterial spin-labeling (ASL) is a non-invasive MRI technique that can quantify CBF.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of multi-delay arterial spin-labeling (MDASL) for measuring transit time-corrected CBF in neonates and infants.
• To investigate developmental changes and regional differences in CBF across different age groups.

Main Methods:

• MDASL was performed on three groups: preterm neonates, term-equivalent-age neonates, and infants.
• Transit time-corrected CBF was measured in specific brain regions (caudate, thalamus, frontal/occipital GM/WM).
• Relative CBF and correlations with postmenstrual age were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Infants exhibited significantly higher whole-brain CBF than neonates.
• Regional differences in relative CBF were observed, with occipital white matter showing higher values across all groups.
• A significant negative correlation was found between postmenstrual age and relative CBF in the thalamus.
• Positive correlations were noted between postmenstrual age and relative CBF in frontal and occipital white matter.

Conclusions:

• MDASL with transit time correction effectively demonstrates developmental changes in CBF in neonates and infants.
• The study highlights significant regional variations in CBF during early brain development.
• MDASL provides valuable insights into the maturation of cerebral vasculature in pediatric populations.