RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Transient Hyperintensity in the Subthalamic Nucleus and Globus Pallidus of Newborns on T1-Weighted Images
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1130
OP 1137
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A2451
VO 32
IS 6
A1 T. Taoka
A1 N. Aida
A1 T. Ochi
A1 Y. Takahashi
A1 T. Akashi
A1 T. Miyasaka
A1 A. Iwamura
A1 M. Sakamoto
A1 K. Kichikawa
YR 2011
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/32/6/1130.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In the brains of newborns, changes in signal intensity in most structures can be explained by the development of myelination. However, there are some structures for which signal intensity changes cannot be accounted for by myelination alone. We examined the STN and globus pallidus signal intensities and tried to determine whether a relationship exists between the signal intensity and the postnatal age or the gestational age at the examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined T1WI and T2WI obtained from 79 neonates who showed normal development at their 2-year follow-up examinations. We performed both qualitative and quantitative (signal intensity ratio to the thalamus) evaluation of the STN and globus pallidus signals, and we examined the correlation between signal intensity changes and the age of neonates. RESULTS: With increasing postnatal age at examination, the high signal intensity on the T1WI for both STN and globus pallidus diminished. Although the disappearance of this hyperintensity was well correlated with the postnatal age at examination for both the qualitative and quantitative studies, there was no correlation with gestational age at examination. For the T2WI, there was no correlation with either the postnatal age or the gestational age at examination. CONCLUSIONS: Signal intensity on T1WI in the STN and globus pallidus is not related to the gestational age at examination; instead, signal intensities on T1WI seem to be more dependent upon the postnatal age at examination. ANOVAanalysis of varianceROIregion of interestSTNsubthalamic nucleusT1WIT1-weighted imagingT2WIT2-weighted imaging