title: Phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography measurements of global cerebral blood flow in the neonate.
abstract: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) alterations are important in pathogenesis of neonatal ischemic/hemorrhagic brain damage. In clinical practice, estimation of neonatal CBF is mostly based on Doppler-measured blood flow velocities in major intracranial arteries. Using phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (PC-MRA), global CBF can be estimated, but there is limited neonatal experience. The objective of this study was to gain experience with PC-MRA for the determination of global CBF in neonates. In infants eligible for MRI, PC-MRA global CBF was determined by measuring volume blood flow in both internal carotid arteries (ICAs) and basilar artery (BA). Thirty newborns (GA, 25.7-42.1 wk; weight, 1050-5858 g; postconceptional age, 225-369 d) were investigated. Total PC-MRA CBF ranged from 27 to 186 mL/min. Significant correlations between PC-MRA CBF and postconceptional age and weight were detected. When calculating PC-MRA measured CBF per kilogram body weight, brain perfusion was about stable over the range of postconceptional ages and ranged between 11 and 48 mL/min/kg (median, 25 mL/min/kg). In conclusion, neonatal PC-MRA CBF seems to be a useful technique to estimate noninvasive CBF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands. m.benders@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Manon J N L
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Benders
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendrikse
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: De Vries
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Bel
authors.forename: Floris
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Groenendaal
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000379:methods; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*