Autti T, Raininko R, Vanhanen S L, Kallio M, Santavuori P
Department of Child Neurology, Helsinki University, Finland.
Neuroradiology. 1994 Nov;36(8):649-51. doi: 10.1007/BF00600432.
We examined 66 healthy volunteers aged 4 to 50 years by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the signal intensity was measured on T2-weighted images in numerous sites and correlated with age and sex. Using distilled water and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as references on each slice, we calculated the signal intensities of the brain structures. Calculated ratios between structures did not change with age, except for those of the globus pallidus and thalamus, in which the signal intensities decreased more rapidly. The signal intensities of other brain structures changed equally but this could not be discerned visually and quantitative measurements were required. The signal intensities in the white and deep grey matter decreased rapidly in the first decade and then gradually to reach a plateau after the age of 18 years. Maturation of the brain thus seems to continue until near the end of the second decade of life. No sex differences were found. Quantitative analysis requires intensity references. The CSF in the tips of the frontal horns seems to be as reliable as an external fluid reference for intensity, and can be used in routine examinations provided the frontal horns are large enough to avoid partial volume effect.
我们通过磁共振成像（MRI）对66名年龄在4至50岁的健康志愿者进行了检查，并在T2加权图像上测量了多个部位的信号强度，并将其与年龄和性别相关联。在每一层图像上以蒸馏水和脑脊液（CSF）作为参考，我们计算了脑结构的信号强度。除苍白球和丘脑外，各结构之间计算出的比值不随年龄变化，而苍白球和丘脑的信号强度下降更快。其他脑结构的信号强度变化相同，但肉眼无法辨别，需要进行定量测量。白质和深部灰质的信号强度在第一个十年迅速下降，然后逐渐下降，在18岁后达到平台期。因此，大脑的成熟似乎会持续到生命第二个十年接近尾声。未发现性别差异。定量分析需要强度参考。额角尖端的脑脊液在强度方面似乎与外部液体参考一样可靠，并且只要额角足够大以避免部分容积效应，就可用于常规检查。
