Quantitative Assessment of Normal Fetal Brain Myelination Using Fast Macromolecular Proton Fraction Mapping | Sciact - CRIS-system of Boreskov Institute of Catalysis

Quantitative Assessment of Normal Fetal Brain Myelination Using Fast Macromolecular Proton Fraction Mapping Full article

Journal

American Journal of Neuroradiology
ISSN: 0195-6108 , E-ISSN: 1936-959X

Output data

Year: 2018, Volume: 39, Number: 7, Pages: 1341-1348 Pages count : 8 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A5668

Authors

Yarnykh V.L. ^1,2 , Prihod’ko I.Y. ³ , Savelov A.A. ³ , Korostyshevskaya A.M. ³

Affiliations

1	Department of Radiology (V.L.Y.), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
2	Research Institute of Biology and Biophysics (V.L.Y.), Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russian Federation.
3	Institute "International Tomography Center" of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (I.Y.P., A.A.S., A.M.K.), Novosibirsk, Russian Federation.

Background and purpose: Fast macromolecular proton fraction mapping is a recently emerged MRI method for quantitative myelin imaging. Our aim was to develop a clinically targeted technique for macromolecular proton fraction mapping of the fetal brain and test its capability to characterize normal prenatal myelination. Materials and methods: This prospective study included 41 pregnant women (gestational age range, 18-38 weeks) without abnormal findings on fetal brain MR imaging performed for clinical indications. A fast fetal brain macromolecular proton fraction mapping protocol was implemented on a clinical 1.5T MR imaging scanner without software modifications and was performed after a clinical examination with an additional scan time of <5 minutes. 3D macromolecular proton fraction maps were reconstructed from magnetization transfer-weighted, T1-weighted, and proton density-weighted images by the single-point method. Mean macromolecular proton fraction in the brain stem, cerebellum, and thalamus and frontal, temporal, and occipital WM was compared between structures and pregnancy trimesters using analysis of variance. Gestational age dependence of the macromolecular proton fraction was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Results: The mean macromolecular proton fraction in the fetal brain structures varied between 2.3% and 4.3%, being 5-fold lower than macromolecular proton fraction in adult WM. The macromolecular proton fraction in the third trimester was higher compared with the second trimester in the brain stem, cerebellum, and thalamus. The highest macromolecular proton fraction was observed in the brain stem, followed by the thalamus, cerebellum, and cerebral WM. The macromolecular proton fraction in the brain stem, cerebellum, and thalamus strongly correlated with gestational age (r = 0.88, 0.80, and 0.73; P < .001). No significant correlations were found for cerebral WM regions. Conclusions: Myelin is the main factor determining macromolecular proton fraction in brain tissues. Macromolecular proton fraction mapping is sensitive to the earliest stages of the fetal brain myelination and can be implemented in a clinical setting.

Yarnykh V.L. , Prihod’ko I.Y. , Savelov A.A. , Korostyshevskaya A.M.
Quantitative Assessment of Normal Fetal Brain Myelination Using Fast Macromolecular Proton Fraction Mapping
American Journal of Neuroradiology. 2018. V.39. N7. P.1341-1348. DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A5668 WOS Scopus PMID OpenAlex

Submitted:	Dec 8, 2017
Accepted:	Mar 23, 2018
Published print:	Jul 1, 2018

Web of science:	WOS:000437283900030
Scopus:	2-s2.0-85049852694
PMID:	29748201
OpenAlex:	W2802925657

DB	Citing
OpenAlex	46
Web of science	30
Scopus	36