title: Magnetic resonance signal intensity ratio of gray/white matter in children. Quantitative assessment in developing brain.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in 87 children with various clinical entities were used to determine the signal intensity ratio of gray/white matter in T1- and T2-weighted images using a 1.5 T MR Scanner. Signal intensity ratio changes in both T1- and T2-weighted images correlated well with advancing age (y = 0.9349-0.001575, r = -0.584, P < 0.0001 in T1-weighted images; y = 0.9798 + 0.002854, r = 0.723, P < 0.0001 in T2-weighted images), but the correlation was more linear when we included only normally developed (34) children (y = 0.9689-0.001967, r = -0.654, P < 0.0001 in T1-weighted images; y = 0.9882 + 0.002965, r = 0.747, P < 0.0001 in T2-weighted images). Abnormal ratios were observed in patients with congenital hydrocephalus, inherited metabolic diseases and cerebral palsy. Although the gray/white matter differentiation would not delineate the myelination itself, measurement of the signal intensity ratio of gray/white matter is a practical way to evaluate delayed myelination in a busy MR center.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maezawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Takikawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuasa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology