Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and follow-up of neonatal cerebral injury.
NMR scanning is feasible in the newborn period, and is capable of diagnosing most of the problems in this age group, but its general application presents a number of difficulties at present. It cannot be transported to the bedside. Adequate monitoring of ill patients is difficult, and scanning takes a relatively long time. The neonatal brain has an extremely high water content, and NMR scanning procedures require adaptation to apply to these conditions. NMR imaging, however, has already proved extremely useful in the follow-up of neonatal insults. Repeated scanning is possible after closure of the fontanelle without subjecting the infant to ionizing radiation. The scans are able to demonstrate not only the anatomic changes associated with the various lesions, but also how these might affect myelination. Development of better coils and more suitable scanning sequences for neonates and infants are needed to improve image quality and establish the normal range of T1 and T2 values and the normal range of myelination at various ages. Further studies will also establish whether the changes in myelination primarily reflect the pathologic processes occurring in the tissues, such as the amount of gliosis, or are a marker of functional involvement.
D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy