title: Isolated mild white matter signal changes in preterm infants: a regional approach for comparison of cranial ultrasound and MRI findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare echogenicity detected using cranial ultrasound (cUS) and diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) detected using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by identical region-based scoring criteria in preterm infants. To explore the association between these white matter (WM) signal changes with early neurobehavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine pre-selected premature infants with only echogenicity on a first routine cUS1 underwent MRI and a repeated cUS2 at term equivalent age. Echogenicity and DEHSI were graded in various brain areas and diffusivity values were calculated. Neurobehavior was assessed using the Rapid Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  WM signal changes were significantly higher on cUS1 than cUS2; and higher in MRI than cUS2 in posterior regions. Infants with DEHSI demonstrated reduced tissue integrity. Imaging findings were not correlated with early neurobehavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Echogenicity and DEHSI likely represent the same phenomenon. Reduction of over-interpretation of WM signal changes may help define criteria for the judicious use of imaging in routine follow-up of premature infants.
authors.affiliation: 1] Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (TASMC), Tel-Aviv, Israel [2] Department of Psychology, Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.affiliation: 1] Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (TASMC), Tel-Aviv, Israel [2] Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel [3] Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ben Bashat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Shaare-Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gross-Tsur
authors.affiliation: 1] Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel [2] Department of Pediatrics, Child Development Center, TASMC, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.affiliation: 1] Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel [2] Department of Neonatology, Lis Maternity Hospital, TASMC, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: 1] Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel [2] Department of Neonatology, Lis Maternity Hospital, TASMC, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marom
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Geva
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Child Development Center, TASMC, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uliel
authors.affiliation: 1] Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel [2] Department of Radiology, TASMC, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ben-Sira
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D004453:Echoencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*