Purpose: To identify new qMRI markers for assessing changes in hydration and myelination during development of the extremely preterm (EP) brain. Methods: Quantitative MR algorithms create maps of the transverse relaxation time (T2) and normalized proton density (PD) for 7 EP born individuals using MR images obtained at age 10 and age 15 years. Results: White and grey matter of the EP brain demonstrate increases in proton density and significant decreases in tissue T2. Conclusion: Decreases in T2 potentially describes the evolution of a more myelin rich environment with age, motivating a new method to assess myelination during brain development.
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