Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 7, 2025
Early Pathological and Magnetic Resonance Detection of Cerebral Injury Using a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Published on: October 28, 2022
Multiparametric Analysis of Cerebral Development in Preterm Infants Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Marine Dubois1,2, Antoine Legouhy2, Isabelle Corouge2
1Radiology Department, CHU Rennes, Hôpital Sud, Rennes, France.
Insights
Multiparametric MRI reveals distinct brain imaging markers in extremely preterm infants compared to very preterm infants. Clinical complications like white matter lesions are linked to reduced cerebral blood flow in preterm infants.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neonatal Medicine
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Neurocognitive impairment severity correlates with prematurity.
- Mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers differentiating degrees of prematurity.
- Evaluate the impact of clinical complications on these MRI markers.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of preterm infants (<28 weeks GA and 28-32 weeks GA).
- Multiparametric brain MRI at term-equivalent age (morphological, DTI, ASL perfusion).
- Quantification of volumes, diffusion parameters, and cerebral blood flow (CBF); comparison between groups and assessment of clinical factors.
Main Results:
- Extremely preterm infants showed higher frontal relative volumes and regional CBF, but lower brainstem and insular relative volumes than very preterm infants.
- Preterm infants with white matter lesions had significantly lower overall gray matter CBF.
Conclusions:
- Quantitative MRI parameters at term-equivalent age reflect brain maturation differences based on prematurity.
- MRI markers can distinguish between degrees of prematurity and are influenced by clinical complications.
Objectives:
The severity of neurocognitive impairment increases with prematurity. However, its mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our aim was firstly to identify multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers that differ according to the degree of prematurity, and secondly to evaluate the impact of clinical complications on these markers.
Materials And Methods:
We prospectively enrolled preterm infants who were divided into two groups according to their degree of prematurity: extremely preterm (<28 weeks' gestational age) and very preterm (28-32 weeks' gestational age). They underwent a multiparametric brain MRI scan at term-equivalent age including morphological, diffusion tensor and arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion sequences. We quantified overall and regional volumes, diffusion parameters, and cerebral blood flow (CBF). We then compared the parameters for the two groups. We also assessed the effects of clinical data and potential MRI morphological abnormalities on those parameters.
Results:
Thirty-four preterm infants were included. Extremely preterm infants (n = 13) had significantly higher frontal relative volumes (p = 0.04), frontal GM relative volumes (p = 0.03), and regional CBF than very preterm infants, but they had lower brainstem and insular relative volumes (respectively p = 0.008 and 0.04). Preterm infants with WM lesions on MRI had significantly lower overall GM CBF (13.3 ± 2 ml/100 g/min versus 17.7 ± 2.5, < ml/100 g/min p = 0.03).
Conclusion:
Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans performed at term-equivalent age in preterm infants provide quantitative imaging parameters that differ with respect to the degree of prematurity, related to brain maturation.
