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Published on: May 23, 2016
Cerebral Arterial Growth in Childhood
J Michael Taylor1, Michael Chang2, Jessica Vaughan3
1Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio; University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Insights
Pediatric intracranial arteries grow rapidly in the first year and then plateau. Head circumference is the strongest predictor of intracranial arterial diameter in children, more so than age.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Vascular biology
- Medical imaging
Background:
- Understanding pediatric cerebral arterial growth is crucial for diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular diseases.
- This study investigated the relationship between major cerebral arterial dimensions and various biometric parameters in healthy children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for intracranial arterial diameter (IAD) in children.
- To identify key factors influencing IAD growth and development.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of brain MRI scans from 307 children (birth to 18 years) with normal vascular imaging.
- Measurement of vertebral, basilar, internal carotid, and circle of Willis arterial segments.
- Correlation of IAD with age, sex, head circumference, weight, and height.
Main Results:
- Intracranial arteries exhibited rapid growth in the first year of life, followed by plateauing or slight decrease in diameter up to age 18.
- Head circumference showed the strongest positive correlation with IAD.
- Weight and age had weaker correlations, while height and sex were not significantly correlated with IAD.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric intracranial arteries demonstrate significant growth in infancy, stabilizing thereafter.
- Head circumference is a more reliable indicator of intracranial arterial dimensions in children than chronological age.
Background:
Improved understanding of cerebral arterial growth in children may lead to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cerebrovascular disease. We correlated cross-sectional diameters of major cerebral arterial structures with age, sex, head circumference, weight, and height in children without cerebrovascular disease.
Methods:
Children with normal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were retrospectively identified and stratified into 23 age cohorts from birth to age 18 years. Absence of vascular disease was verified by medical record review. Demographic and biometric data were obtained from medical records. Intracranial arterial diameter (IAD) was measured on T2-weighted fast spin echo brain MRI of vertebral, basilar, internal carotid artery, and circle of Willis arterial segments.
Results:
A total of 307 subjects are included in the analysis, including 5833 vessel segments (mean age 8.4 years, 53% female). Indications for imaging were headache (73%), seizure (26%) and concussion (1%). IAD rapidly increased during the first year of life (mean growth velocity 0.064 to 0.213 mm/month) and then plateaued or slightly decreased between age one and 18 years (mean growth velocity -0.002 to 0.003 mm/month). Multivariable analysis shows strongest correlation with head circumference as a predictor of IAD. Weaker correlations are associated with weight and age. Height and sex are not well correlated with IAD.
Conclusions:
Intracranial arteries grow rapidly during the first year of life and then sharply plateau or slightly decrease in luminal diameter between infancy and early adulthood. IAD is more closely correlated with head circumference than age.
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