| Abstract: |
Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for neonatal bilirubin encephalopathy. Methods: We collected conventional MRI in 24 neonates with neonatal bilirubin encephalopathy. We performed 1H-MRS and DWI sequences to nine of the 24 patients and seven age-matched healthy control subjects. Multiple-voxel 1H-MRS data were acquired using PRESS pulse sequence with TE=135 ms and TR=1500 ms. The spectroscopic regions of interest were the bilateral basal ganglia and thalamus with a 1.0 mL spatial resolution. The data from DWI were collected by using a single shot-spin echo-echo planar imaging sequence with TR/TE: 2900/98, and imaging regions were also focused on the bilateral basal ganglia and thalamus. Results: Nineteen of the 24 patients had abnormal T1-weighted image hyperintensity in the globus pallidus, but these lesions appeared as normal T2-weighted image intensity in the same region. Ten of the 24 patients had T1-weighted image high signal intensity in the subthalamic nucleus and appeared as normal intensity in the region for the T2-weighted images. The peak area ratios of NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr were significantly decreased (t-test, P<0.05) in the patients compared to the controls in the basal ganglia. Conclusion: Conventional MR imaging and 1H-MRS are important complementary tools in the diagnosis of neonatal bilirubin encephalopathy. The study provides important information for applying these MR modalities to evaluate neonates with bilirubin encephalopathy. © 2008 Springer-Verlag. |
