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Published on: August 14, 2019
Major brain injuries at term continue to influence DTI parameters in adolescents born very preterm: a 13-year
Sirkku Setänen1, Harri Merisaari2,3, Virva Saunavaara4,5
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Insights
Major brain injuries in preterm infants impact white matter maturation, showing lasting effects on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters like fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) into adolescence.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Major brain injuries in very preterm infants affect diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters at term.
- White matter maturation is characterized by increasing fractional anisotropy (FA) and decreasing mean diffusivity (MD) with gestational age.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare DTI parameters (FA and MD) at term and 13 years in adolescents born very preterm.
- To investigate differences between adolescents with and without major structural brain MRI pathologies at term.
Main Methods:
- Included 24 adolescents born very preterm (gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight ≤1500 g).
- Evaluated FA and MD at term and 13 years in 18 regions of interest using the JHU-neonate-SS atlas.
- Compared DTI parameters between adolescents with and without major brain injuries identified on MRI at term.
Main Results:
- Adolescents with major brain injuries (n=6) showed decreased FA in the left corpus callosum and right cingulate gyrus at 13 years.
- Increased MD was observed in the left corpus callosum, right anterior limb of the internal capsule, and right posterior limb of the internal capsule in those with injuries.
- These differences were compared to adolescents without major brain injuries (n=18).
Conclusions:
- Major brain injuries identified on structural MRI at term significantly affect brain maturation.
- Adverse effects on FA and MD persist into adolescence, indicating long-term neurological impact.
Background:
Major brain injuries in structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at term affect concurrent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters in very preterm infants. White matter is known to gradually maturate along with increasing gestational age, which is characterized by increasing fractional anisotropy (FA) and decreasing mean diffusivity (MD).
Purpose:
To study the difference between DTI parameters at term and 13 years in adolescents born very preterm with and without major pathologies in structural brain MRI at term.
Material And Methods:
Adolescents born very preterm (gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight ≤1500 g) in 2004-2006 at Turku University Hospital, Finland were included. We evaluated FA and MD at term and 13 years in 18 regions of interest using the JHU-neonate-SS atlas to compare the differences in these parameters between adolescents with and without major injuries identified on MRI at term.
Results:
A total of 24 adolescents underwent brain MRI including DTI both at term and 13 years. Adolescents with major brain injury pathologies (n = 6) in structural MRI at term had decreased FA in the left corpus callosum and right cingulate gyrus part, and increased MD in the left corpus callosum, right anterior limb of internal capsule, and right posterior limb of the internal capsule at 13 years, in comparison with adolescents without major brain injuries (n = 18) in structural MRI at term.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that major brain injuries identified on structural MRI at term affect brain maturation, with adverse effects in FA and MD still during adolescence.
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