Neonatal brain and body imaging in the MR-compatible incubator

The use of a specialized MR-compatible incubator (INC) is very poorly described in the literature and only with regard to brain imaging.

To present our own experience with brain and body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the INC in a large cohort of neonates.

A total of 555 examinations were performed in 530 newborns with the use of a 1.5T system and Nomag IC 1.5 incubator, equipped with head and body coils.

More than half of neonates (54%) were prematurely born at 22 + 6-36 + 6 gestational weeks. They were examined from the first to 153 days of life (median: 18.5, mean: 37.7) with body weights 600-5000 g (mean: 3051 g), 23% of less than 2500 g. The proportion of brain MRIs to other body regions was 533:85 = 86%:14%. In 36.6% of cases, MRI showed more abnormalities than ultrasound (USG), in a further 21.8%, MRI diagnosis was completely different, in 4.7%, a pathology described on a USG was ruled out on MRI. The superiority of MRI over USG was 63.1%.

MR-compatible incubator significantly increased the availability of MRI to newborns, especially to premature and unstable newborns. The integration of body coils into the INC increased the spectrum of examinations and made possible the scanning not only of the brain but also the body. Dedicated neonatal coils improved image quality and allowed more accurate diagnosis than the previously used adult coils. Immobilization of the babies in the INC by means of Velcro belts and head fixation inserts is better than in adult coils. The closed space of the INC isolates newborns to a greater extent from the negative influence of noise in the MR environment.