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Abstract #1246

Clinical Assessment of Brain Perfusion in Newborn Infants with Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion MRI

Pia Wintermark1,2, Josef Pfeuffer3, Michael Hamm3, Richard L. Robertson2, Anne Hansen1, Janet Soul4, Simon K. Warfield2

1Newborn Medicine, Children Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA; 2Radiology, Children Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA; 3Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc., Charlestown, MA, USA; 4Neurology, Children Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA


Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have lead to the development of non-contrast agent based arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) MRI to acquire repeatedly absolute measurements regional cerebral blood flow without administration of contrast agents. Our study utilizes a pulsed ASL-PWI MRI sequence in optimized protocols to measure perfusion in newborn infants. Perfusion maps with good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spatial resolution were obtained in normal non-sedated term neonates, with adequate differentiation of gray matter, white matter, and basal ganglia. This should permit systematic prospective studies of brain perfusion in healthy and unhealthy newborn infants.