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Published on: January 7, 2019
Evaluation of deep gray matter for early brain development using quantitative susceptibility mapping
Sayo Otani1, Yasutaka Fushimi2, Kogoro Iwanaga3
1Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
Insights
Iron accumulation in deep gray matter increases with age in infants up to 1000 days postmenstrual age. Normal infant development shows higher magnetic susceptibility in deep gray matter compared to delayed development early on.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Pediatric Radiology
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Iron accumulation in the brain is crucial for normal development.
- Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is a non-invasive MRI technique to assess iron levels.
- Deep gray matter nuclei are key areas for early brain development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify magnetic susceptibility, an indicator of iron, in deep gray matter during early postnatal development.
- To compare iron-related magnetic susceptibility between normally developing infants and those with developmental delay.
Main Methods:
- MR scans and QSM were performed on 138 infants (≤1000 days postmenstrual age).
- Magnetic susceptibility was measured in the caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, and ventrolateral thalamus.
- Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses compared susceptibility values with age and developmental status.
Main Results:
- Magnetic susceptibility in deep gray matter showed moderate positive correlations with postmenstrual age and chronological age.
- The globus pallidus exhibited the steepest increase in susceptibility with age.
- Infants with normal development had higher susceptibility in deep gray matter than those with delayed development at early postnatal ages (≤285 days PMA).
Conclusions:
- Deep gray matter magnetic susceptibility, reflecting iron content, increases with age in infants up to 1000 days PMA.
- Higher susceptibility in deep gray matter at early ages may be a biomarker for normal neurodevelopment.
Objectives:
To evaluate susceptibility values associated with iron accumulation in the deep gray matter during postnatal development and to compare magnetic susceptibility between patients with normal and delayed development.
Methods:
Patients with postmenstrual age (PMA) ≤ 1000 days underwent MR scans between August 2015 and April 2020 at our hospital. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) was performed, and magnetic susceptibility was measured using three-dimensional volumes of interest (VOIs) for the caudate nucleus (CN), globus pallidus (GP), putamen (PT), and ventrolateral thalamic nucleus (VL). Cross-sectional analysis was performed for 99 patients with normal development and 39 patients with delayed development. Longitudinal analysis was also performed to interpret changes over time in 13 patients with normal development. Correlations between magnetic susceptibility in VOIs and PMA or chronological age (CA) were assessed.
Results:
Susceptibility values for CN, GP, PT, and VL showed positive moderate correlations with both PMA (ρ = 0.45, 0.69, 0.62, and 0.33, respectively) and CA (ρ = 0.53, 0.69, 0.66, and 0.39, respectively). The slope of the correlation between susceptibility values and age was highest in the GP among the four gray matter areas. Susceptibility values for the CN, GP, PT, and VL were higher with normal development than with delayed development at early postnatal age, although a significant difference was only observed for the CN. Susceptibility values also increased with age in the longitudinal analysis.
Conclusions:
Magnetic susceptibility values in deep gray matter increased with age ≤ 1000 days. The normal development group showed higher susceptibility values than the delayed development group at early postnatal age (PMA ≤ 285 days).
Key Points:
• Magnetic susceptibilities in deep gray matter nuclei increased with age (postmenstrual age ≤ 1000 days) in a large number of pediatric patients. • The normal development group showed higher susceptibility values than the delayed development group in the basal ganglia and ventrolateral thalamic nucleus at early postnatal age (PMA ≤ 285 days).
