title: MR spectroscopy of normative premature newborns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish normative metabolite ratios throughout the newborn brain using three-dimensional (3D) MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI).
  
  
  METHODS
  MRI and MRSI have been valuable tools for assessing normal and abnormal neuronal maturation for newborns. In this study, we performed whole brain 3D MRSI in addition to comprehensive anatomic and other functional imaging methods to examine maturation. Fifty-five newborn subjects (28.4 ± 2.6 weeks postconception age at birth, 34.1 ± 3.1 weeks postconception age at scan, 32 males and 23 females) had high quality MRSI studies (104 exams) and normal neurodevelopmental outcome (neuromotor score = 0, mental development index score > 85) at age 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NAA to Cho ratio increased significantly with age for all regions. Lac to NAA ratio decreased significantly with age in the regions of thalamus, basal ganglia, cortical spinal tract, and parietal white matter, and showed a decreasing trend in the other regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brain metabolites can be obtained through in vivo 3D MRSI and used to monitor newborn brain maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of San Francisco, California, USA. duan.xu@radiology.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Duan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Sonia L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bonifacio
authors.forename: Natalie N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Charlton
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: P Vaughan
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ferriero
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Vigneron
authors.forename: A James
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barkovich
mesh_terms: D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D002794:Choline