Development of an Ultrasound Scoring System to Describe Brain Maturation in Preterm Infants

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Neurology
• Pediatric Neuroimaging
• Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

• Cerebral maturation in preterm infants primarily occurs after birth.
• Objective bedside markers are needed to monitor this postnatal brain development.
• Current methods often rely on individual growth trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, objective Ultrasound Score of Brain Development.
• To assess cortical development in preterm infants using ultrasound.
• To establish a bedside tool for monitoring brain maturation.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed 344 serial ultrasound scans from 94 preterm infants (≤ 32 weeks gestation).
• Identified and selected 3 key cerebral landmarks (interopercular opening, insular cortex height, cingulate sulcus depth).
• Developed a scoring system (0-6) based on these landmarks visualized in a single midcoronal view.

Main Results:

• Three cerebral landmarks significantly correlated with gestational age (P<.001).
• The Ultrasound Score of Brain Development showed a significant correlation with gestational age (P<.001).
• The selected landmarks are easily visualized in a standard ultrasound view.

Conclusions:

• The Ultrasound Score of Brain Development provides an objective measure of brain maturation.
• This score correlates with gestational age, independent of individual growth percentiles.
• It has potential as a valuable bedside tool for preterm infant neurodevelopmental assessment.