American Journal of Neuroradiology, Vol 19, Issue 10 1923-1929, Copyright © 1998 by American Society of Neuroradiology
ARTICLES |
Age-dependent changes in magnetization transfer contrast of white matter in the pediatric brain
V Engelbrecht, M Rassek, S Preiss, C Wald and U Modder
Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Dusseldorf, Germany.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It is unknown to what extent magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) in white matter of the brain changes during myelination. The goal of this study was to measure the age-dependent changes of MTC in different regions of the pediatric brain and to evaluate their relation to T2 relaxation times. METHODS: Seventy children aged 1 week to 80 months without evidence of organic brain disease underwent MR imaging of the brain. A double-echo spin-echo (SE) sequence and an SE sequence with and without an off-resonance pulse were performed in the axial orientation. Using paired images, we calculated MTC ratios in 13 predefined regions of the brain and compared them with the T2 relaxation times measured in the same areas. Regression analysis was performed for both parameters to evaluate age dependency. RESULTS: MTC in white matter increased during myelination from a range of 13% to 19% to a range of 34% to 37%. At the same time, T2 relaxation times decreased from a range of 115 to 160 milliseconds to a range of 60 to 70 milliseconds after myelination. For both MTC and T2 relaxation times, age dependency could be expressed by a monoexponential function. CONCLUSION: A strong positive correlation exists between MTC ratios and the degree of myelination in the pediatric brain, and an inverse correlation exists between MTC and T2 relaxation times. Fast proton relaxation within macromolecules in the myelinated white matter and subsequent MT may be the most important reason for the decreasing T2 relaxation time of white matter during brain myelination.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  E. Waubant, D. Chabas, D. T. Okuda, O. Glenn, E. Mowry, R. G. Henry, J. B. Strober, B. Soares, M. Wintermark, and D. Pelletier Difference in Disease Burden and Activity in Pediatric Patients on Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Time of Multiple Sclerosis Onset vs Adults Arch Neurol, August 1, 2009; 66(8): 967 - 971. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 X.-Q. Ding, Y. Sun, H. Braass, T. Illies, H. Zeumer, H. Lanfermann, and J. Fiehler Evidence of Rapid Ongoing Brain Development Beyond 2 Years of Age Detected by Fiber Tracking AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., August 1, 2008; 29(7): 1261 - 1265. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Ge Multiple Sclerosis: The Role of MR Imaging AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., June 1, 2006; 27(6): 1165 - 1176. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. Boichot, P. M. Walker, C. Durand, M. Grimaldi, S. Chapuis, J. B. Gouyon, and F. Brunotte Term Neonate Prognoses after Perinatal Asphyxia: Contributions of MR Imaging, MR Spectroscopy, Relaxation Times, and Apparent Diffusion Coefficients Radiology, June 1, 2006; 239(3): 839 - 848. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. L. Armstrong, E. Traipe, J. V. Hunter, J. C. Haselgrove, G. E. Ledakis, E. M. Tallent, D. Shera, and M. A. van Buchem Age-Related, Regional, Hemispheric, and Medial-Lateral Differences in Myelin Integrity in Vivo in the Normal Adult Brain AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., June 1, 2004; 25(6): 977 - 984. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. McGraw, L. Liang, and J. M. Provenzale Evaluation of Normal Age-Related Changes in Anisotropy During Infancy and Childhood as Shown by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Am. J. Roentgenol., December 1, 2002; 179(6): 1515 - 1522. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Mukherjee, J. H. Miller, J. S. Shimony, J. V. Philip, D. Nehra, A. Z. Snyder, T. E. Conturo, J. J. Neil, and R. C. McKinstry Diffusion-Tensor MR Imaging of Gray and White Matter Development during Normal Human Brain Maturation AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., October 1, 2002; 23(9): 1445 - 1456. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Ge, R. I. Grossman, J. S. Babb, M. L. Rabin, L. J. Mannon, and D. L. Kolson Age-Related Total Gray Matter and White Matter Changes in Normal Adult Brain. Part II: Quantitative Magnetization Transfer Ratio Histogram Analysis AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., September 1, 2002; 23(8): 1334 - 1341. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. A. van Buchem, S. C.A. Steens, H. A. Vrooman, A. H. Zwinderman, J. C. McGowan, M. Rassek, and V. Engelbrecht Global Estimation of Myelination in the Developing Brain on the Basis of Magnetization Transfer Imaging: A Preliminary Study AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., April 1, 2001; 22(4): 762 - 766. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Mukherjee, J. H. Miller, J. S. Shimony, T. E. Conturo, B. C. P. Lee, C. R. Almli, and R. C. McKinstry Normal Brain Maturation during Childhood: Developmental Trends Characterized with Diffusion-Tensor MR Imaging Radiology, November 1, 2001; 221(2): 349 - 358. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|