Kyoko Enomoto MD, PRESENTER: Nothing to Disclose

Abstract: HTML Purpose: To evaluate neonatal and infant brain MR images focusing on the pattern of myelination and to elucidate possible risk factors during their fetal and perinatal periods that may cause later delay in myelination on MRI. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed brain MR images of two hundreds and seventy neonates and infants born at 25 to 42 weeks of gestation (WG), taken at 0 to 12 months after birth using 1.5 T MR units. The subjects had neither congenital anomalies nor abnormal signals in the brains on MR images. We considered risk factors that may influence delayed myelination during the fetal and perinatal periods: WG at birth (<27, >27 to <30, >30 to <33, >33 to <36, and >36, weeks), body weight at birth (<1.0, >1.0 to <1.5, >1.5 to <2.0, >2.0 to <2.5 and >2.5, kg), small for date, history of fetal distress, neonatal asphyxia, jaundice, convulsion, respiratory and maternal complications. Results: We divided the subjects into two groups: normal (201 cases) and delayed myelination (69 cases) based on the degree of myelination on MR images. No statistically significant difference was detected between the two groups in their average body weight and WG at birth. They were evaluated with each other reference of the above factors. The results indicated that the subjects born before 27 WG were promoted to show delayed myelination on MR images compared with those born after 27 WG (p< 0.012). And all these delayed cases also revealed retard myelination on the follow up studies after 3 to 6 months since initial study. Otherwise there was no significant difference between the two groups in each risk factor. This may reflect the facts that the development of the fetal brains accelerated after 26-27 WG in autopsy studies. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the birth before 27 WG should be considered as the major risk factor that may cause myelinating delay.       Questions about this event email: kyoko@golgo13.com

Enomoto MD, K, Evaluation of Risk Factors Causing Delayed Myelination Based on an Analysis of Neonatal and Infant Brain MR Images with Reference to Their Fetal and Perinatal Backgrounds.  Radiological Society of North America 2003 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 30 - December 5, 2003 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2003/3105650.html