Assessment of functional development in normal infant brain using arterial spin labeled perfusion MRI.
Arterial spin labeled (ASL) perfusion MRI provides a noninvasive approach for longitudinal imaging of regional brain function in infants. In the present study, continuous ASL (CASL) perfusion MRI was carried out in normally developing 7- and 13-month-old infants while asleep without sedation. The 13-month infant group showed an increase (P<0.05) of relative CBF in frontal regions as compared to the 7-month group using a region of interest based analysis. Using a machine-learning algorithm to automatically classify the relative CBF maps of the two infant groups, a significant (P<0.05, permutation testing) regional CBF increase was found in the hippocampi, anterior cingulate, amygdalae, occipital lobes, and auditory cortex in the 13-month-old infants. These results are consistent with current understanding of infant brain development and demonstrate the feasibility of using perfusion MRI to noninvasively monitor developing brain function.
Wang
Ze
Z
Center for Functional Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St. Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. zewang@mail.med.upenn.edu
Fernández-Seara
María
M
Alsop
David C
DC
Liu
Wen-Ching
WC
Flax
Judy F
JF
Benasich
April A
AA
Detre
John A
JA
D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010477:Perfusion; D012016:Reference Values; D013113:Spin Labels
D013113:Spin Labels