Basal ganglia perfusion in the preterm infant during transition.
The preterm brain is susceptible to changes in blood flow. Using power Doppler images, digital imaging techniques have been developed to measure the total amount of blood flow in a defined area, giving the index: fractional moving blood volume (FMBV). The aim of this study was to investigate temporal changes in basal ganglia perfusion during the transitional period after birth.



Twenty-four preterm infants were examined with serial cranial ultrasounds at four time points during the first 48 h of life. FMBV was calculated using power Doppler images at each time point.



All infants had analyzable data and FMBV was successfully calculated at all time points. Twenty-three of the 24 infants had an increasing trend in FMBV over time. The median FMBV increased from 17% at 6 h to 25% at 48 h. One-way repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant increase in values at P < 0.001 at each of the four time points.



We have demonstrated changes in basal ganglia blood flow as the cerebral circulation adapts to extrauterine life. With further investigation, this technique may be useful in the assessment of preterm circulatory adaptation, either alone or in conjunction with other modes of evaluating cerebral blood flow.
Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.|Department of Newborn Care, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia.
Tim
T
Schindler
Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Yasmin
Y
Gilbert
Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Sonali
S
Jayatilake
Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, England.
Gordon
G
Stevenson
Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.|Department of Newborn Care, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia.
Ju Lee
JL
Oei
Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.|Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia.
Alec
A
Welsh
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001810:Blood Volume; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000254:growth & development*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D010477:Perfusion; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal