Jay Shah BA, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Harutyun Haroyan MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Nitin Shashikant Chouthai MBBS,MRCP, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sandeep Kadam MBBS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Senthil K Sundaram, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Deniz Altinok MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Evaluating fractional anisotropy (FA) changes measured during DTI imaging in newborns with HIE compared with normal newborns. As well as to observe differences in FA values in newborns undergoing Whole Body Hypothermia (WBH) and no WBH.

21 children with clinically diagnosed HIE underwent brain MR imaging which included DTI. The neonatal group (DTI at < 1month) included 11 neonates (8 with WBH from Children's Hospital of MI, 3 with no WBH from Pune, India). The control group consists of 9 normal children imaged at less than 1 month old by the Center of Magnetic Resonance Microimaging at Johns Hopkins. Average FA values were analyzed using DTIstudio & GE functool software in the following 6 areas of the brain: centrum semiovale, genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, posterior limb of the internal capsule, pyramidal tracts at the level of pyramids (mid anterior pons) and lemniscus medialis in the mid pons. Unpaired t-test and One Way ANOVA were used to analyze the data.

FA values were lower (statistically significant) in newborns with HIE as compared to normal controls when tested using unpaired t-test in all regions tested except anterior pons. FA values were 0.22 ± 0.04 vs. 0.13 ± 0.03 for Centrum Semi Ovale (p<0.001) (Normal vs. HIE, Mean ± SD); 0.42 ± 0.02 vs. 0.33 ± 0.07 for posterior limb of internal capsule (p=.001); 0.53 ± 0.03 vs. 0.40 ± 0.10 for Genu (p=0.002); 0.6 ± 0.04 vs. 0.42 ± 0.10) for Splenium (p < 0.001); 0.32 ± 0.05 vs. 0.25 ± 0.09 for Posterior Pons (p=0.043); 0.24 ± 0.02 vs. 0.22 ± 0.10 for Anterior Pons (p=0.5). Children with WBH trended towards normal FA values, and were higher than their uncooled counterparts. Lower FA values in newborns with HIE were also noted using One-way Anova, except in the anterior & posterior pons (data not shown). Post Hoc analyses revealed that differences in FA values were not significant comparing HIE newborns with or without WBH. The FA values in all regions trended lower in children > 1 month (n=10) with HIE as compared to normal counterparts as well.

Newborns with HIE had significantly lower FA values as compared to normal controls. Newborns with HIE who did not receive WBH did not have significantly different FA values as compared to those who received WBH.

DTI imaging is one of the most reliable tools to measure the underlying damage of the White-Matter Tracts caused by HIE.

Shah, J, Haroyan, H, Chouthai, N, Kadam, S, Sundaram, S, Altinok, D, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) In Newborns as a Biomarker in Newborns with Perinatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy.  Radiological Society of North America 2011 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 2, 2011 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2011/11005723.html