Semi-Quantitative Analysis of Brain MR Imaging in 76 Cases of Neonatal Indirect Hyperbilirubinemia ()
ABSTRACT
Background:
Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is indeed common. However, severe nerve injuries and bilirubin
encephalopathy are rare and only occur in the unusual cases of extreme
hyperbilirubinemia. Objectives:
To investigate brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes and their
correlations with perinatal predisposing factors in neonates with indirect
hyperbilirubinemia, via regions of interest (ROIs) analysis. Methods: Seventy-six neonates with a gestational age of ≥35 weeks
diagnosed with neonatal indirect hyperbilirubinemia or bilirubin encephalopathy
all underwent brain MRI during hospitalization. Depending on peak total serum
bilirubin (TSB), they were assigned to group A (<221 μmol/L), B (≥221 μmol/L
<342 μmol/L), C
(≥42 μmol/L <428 μmol/L),
or D (≥428 μmol/L). The globus pallidus and the white matter around the
anterior horn of the lateral ventricle and posterior horn of the lateral
ventricle were selected as the ROIs. Average optical densities (AODs) of the
ROIs and the cerebrospinal fluid region were measured. The ratio between the
AODs was designated as the relative optical density (ROD), and used to
determine relative signal intensity. Results:
RODs of the globus pallidus were significantly lower in group D than in all
other groups. TSB and the ratio of TSB to serum albumin concentration (B/A) was
significantly negatively correlated with ROD in theglobus pallidus. Corrected
age was significantly negatively correlated with the ROD of the ROIs. Conclusions: Semi-quantitative image analysis is a
feasible method to assess conventional brain MRI for neonatal indirect
hyperbilirubinemia. The signal intensity of the globus pallidus in T1-weighted
images was significantly correlated with TSB level and B/A.
Share and Cite:
Zhang, R. , Bo, T. , Shen, L. , Luo, S. and Li, J. (2016) Semi-Quantitative Analysis of Brain MR Imaging in 76 Cases of Neonatal Indirect Hyperbilirubinemia.
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
6, 280-289. doi:
10.4236/ojped.2016.64039.