Clinical significance on early diagnosis of brain injury in premature infants with multiple sequence joint inspection of magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Objective To discuss clinical significance on early diagnosis of brain injury in premature infants with multiple sequence joint inspection of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods The brain MRI findings of 160 premature infants treated by Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were analyzed retrospectively. Results In 160 premature infants, brain injury occurred in 76 cases, the incidence of brain injury was 47.5%.Ischemic lesions were seen more in brain injury in premature infants, cerebral white matter injury was the most common, especially periventricular leukomalacia.Ischemic brain injury performed patchy or large sheet increased signal intensity on T1-weighted images(T1WI), decreased signal intensity on T2-weighted images (T2WI) and obviously increased signal intensity on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in half egg circle center and around the lateral ventricle.Periventricular leukomalacia performed patchy decreased signal intensity on T1WI, increased signal intensity on T2WI and decreased signal intensity on DWI.Periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage was seen more in hemorrhagic lesions.Hemorrhage stove was performed different signal because of different bleeding time.MRI performance in acute phase was iso-signal or slightly decreased signal intensity on T1WI, increased signal intensity on T2WI, increased signal intensity on T1WI, slightly decreased signal intensity on T2WI in early subacute, increased signal intensity on T1WI and T2WI in late subacute and obviously decreased signal intensity on magnetic sensitive weighted imaging.The detection rate of ischemic lesions by DWI was higher than the conventional MRI, and DWI could show cerebral white matter damage of premature infants much earlier than the conventional MRI.The detection rate of hemorrhage stove by susceptibility weighted imagingc (SWI) was hig-her than the conventional MRI (χ2=23.78, P<0.05), and SWI could show hemorrhagic lesions much earlier than conventional MRI (χ2=27.02, P<0.05). Conclusions MRI, especially combined multiple sequence checking, could provide accurate imaging evidence for the early diagnosis of brain injury in premature infants. Key words: Magnetic resonance imaging; Premature infant; Brain injury; Clinic