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. 2014 May;35(5):841-7.
doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A3513. Epub 2013 May 2.

Optimal timing of cerebral MRI in preterm infants to predict long-term neurodevelopmental outcome: a systematic review

A Plaisier  1 , P Govaert  2 , M H Lequin  3 , J Dudink  4
Affiliations

Optimal timing of cerebral MRI in preterm infants to predict long-term neurodevelopmental outcome: a systematic review

A Plaisier et al. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2014 May.

Abstract

Advances in neonatal neuroimaging have improved detection of preterm brain injury responsible for abnormal neuromotor and cognitive development. Increasingly sophisticated MR imaging setups allow scanning during early preterm life. In this review, we investigated how brain MR imaging in preterm infants should be timed to best predict long-term outcome. Given the strong evidence that structural brain abnormalities are related to long-term neurodevelopment, MR imaging should preferably be performed at term-equivalent age. Early MR imaging is promising because it can guide early intervention studies and is indispensable in research on preterm brain injury.

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Figures

Fig 1.
Fig 1.
Evolution of common types of preterm brain injury, at 30 weeks' postmenstrual age (1) and at term-equivalent age (2). Transversal T2-FSE images of punctate white matter lesions (A), periventricular leukomalacia (B), and periventricular hemorrhagic venous infarction (C). Note that images 2B and 2C are slightly oblique.
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