Cerebral magnetic resonance spectroscopy - insights into preterm brain injury.

OBJECTIVE

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) may provide clinically relevant data regarding metabolic processes that govern the course of preterm brain injury.

STUDY DESIGN

46 very preterm infants (VP) were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and H-MRS at term-equivalent age. Brain injury was assessed according to the Kidokoro scale. Moreover, 17 term-born infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) were scanned. The metabolic profile of the central nervous system was obtained from the bilateral thalamus.

RESULT

The Lipids/Creatine, Choline/Creatine, N-acetyl aspartate/Choline, Lactate/N-acetyl aspartate, and Lactate/Creatine ratios differed between VP infants with moderate+severe brain damage and those without brain injury. Moreover, VP infants with moderate+severe brain damage had higher Lactate/ N-acetyl aspartate and Lactate/Creatine ratios than HIE group.

CONCLUSION

There were significant differences in the cerebral metabolite profile at TEA between VP infants with and without brain injury. The H-MRS profile of VP infants with moderate+severe brain damage may reflect profound chronic metabolic alterations.