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Published on: February 18, 2012
Relationship between the Quantitative Indicators of Cranial MRI and the Early Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants
Jing Yin1, Yanhui Wu2, Yuxuan Shi1
1Department of Pediatrics, Xuzhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital of Lianyungang, Lianyungang 222000, China.
Insights
Quantitative indicators from cranial MRI, biparietal width (BPW) and interhemispheric distance (IHD), can predict neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. Combining BPW and IHD offers enhanced predictive value for assessing infant development at six months corrected age.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal imaging and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Pediatric radiology and developmental assessment.
Background:
- Preterm infants face risks of neurodevelopmental challenges.
- Early identification of neurodevelopmental risks is crucial for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between cranial MRI quantitative indicators (BPW, IHD) and neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
- To assess the predictive value of BPW and IHD for neurodevelopmental outcomes at 6 months corrected age.
Main Methods:
- 113 preterm infants underwent cranial MRI at 37 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) to measure biparietal width (BPW) and interhemispheric distance (IHD).
- Infants were categorized into normal (DQ ≥ 85) and abnormal (DQ < 85) neurodevelopmental groups based on Development Quotient (DQ) at 6 months corrected age.
- Statistical analyses, including univariate and binary logistic regression, were performed to evaluate the predictive significance of BPW and IHD.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in BPW and IHD were observed between normal and abnormal neurodevelopmental groups (P < 0.05).
- Binary logistic regression confirmed IHD and BPW as significant predictors of neurodevelopmental outcomes (P < 0.001).
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated high predictive accuracy for BPW (AUC=0.867), IHD (AUC=0.805), and their combination (AUC=0.881).
Conclusions:
- Biparietal width (BPW) and interhemispheric distance (IHD) measured via cranial MRI are valuable quantitative indicators for predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.
- The combined use of BPW and IHD significantly enhances the predictive accuracy for neurodevelopmental assessment at 6 months corrected age.
Aim:
To explore the relationship between the quantitative indicators (biparietal width, interhemispheric distance) of the cranial MRI for preterm infants at 37 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA) and neurodevelopment at 6 months of corrected age.
Methods:
A total of 113 preterm infants (gestational age < 37 weeks) delivered in the Obstetrics Department of the First People's Hospital of Lianyungang from September 2018 to February 2020 and directly transferred to the Neonatology Department for treatment were enrolled in this study. Based on their development quotient (DQ), the patients were divided into the normal (DQ ≥ 85, n = 76) group and the abnormal (DQ < 85, n = 37) group. Routine cranial MRI (cMRI) was performed at 37 weeks of PMA to measure the biparietal width (BPW) and interhemispheric distance (IHD). At the corrected age of 6 months, Development Screening Test (for children under six) was used to assess the participants' neurodevelopment.
Results:
Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in BPW, IHD, and the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia between the normal and the abnormal groups (P < 0.05), while no statistically significant differences were found in maternal complications and other clinical conditions between the two groups (P > 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences in IHD and BPW between the normal and the abnormal groups (95% CI: 1.629-12.651 and 0.570-0.805, respectively; P = 0.004 and P < 0.001, respectively), while no significant differences were found in the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia between the two groups (95% CI: 0.669-77.227, P = 0.104). Receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that the area under the curve of BPW, IHD, and the joint predictor (BPW + IHD) were 0.867, 0.805, and 0.881, respectively (95% CI: 0.800-0.933, 0.710-0.900, and 0.819-0.943, respectively; all P values < 0.001).
Conclusion:
BPW and IHD, the two quantitative indicators acquired by cMRI, could predict the neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm infants at the corrected age of 6 months. The combination of the two indicators showed an even higher predictive value.
