title: A dedicated neonatal brain imaging system.
abstract: The goal of the Developing Human Connectome Project is to acquire MRI in 1000 neonates to create a dynamic map of human brain connectivity during early development. High-quality imaging in this cohort without sedation presents a number of technical and practical challenges.
  
  
  
  We designed a neonatal brain imaging system (NBIS) consisting of a dedicated 32-channel receive array coil and a positioning device that allows placement of the infant's head deep into the coil for maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Disturbance to the infant was minimized by using an MRI-compatible trolley to prepare and transport the infant and by employing a slow ramp-up and continuation of gradient noise during scanning. Scan repeats were minimized by using a restart capability for diffusion MRI and retrospective motion correction. We measured the 1) SNR gain, 2) number of infants with a completed scan protocol, and 3) number of anatomical images with no motion artifact using NBIS compared with using an adult 32-channel head coil.
  
  
  
  The NBIS has 2.4 times the SNR of the adult coil and 90% protocol completion rate.
  
  
  
  The NBIS allows advanced neonatal brain imaging techniques to be employed in neonatal brain imaging with high protocol completion rates. Magn Reson Med 78:794-804, 2017. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Emer J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Rapid Biomedical GmbH, Rimpar, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Winchman
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Padormo
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wurie
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Maryanne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hutter
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lucilio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cordero-Grande
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anthony N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allsop
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bueno-Conde
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tusor
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arichi
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Serena J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Counsell
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health, Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Division, Kings College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Joseph V
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2690-5495
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Hajnal
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D063132:Connectome / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio
keywords: brain; head coil; neonatal; unsedated