OHSU researchers detect brain injury in preterm infants using high-field MRI
Brain scans using the high-field (12-Tesla) MRI on the right are more effective at finding brain injuries, but they are not widely available for clinical use.
A team of researchers at OHSU, led by Stephen Back, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics and neurology, is the first to find white matter lesions in preterm infants using high-field MRI. These microscopic lesions, often missed by traditional MRIs, can cause significant disabilities in children, including cerebral palsy. By detecting the brain injuries sooner, families may have the option to begin therapy and rehabilitation sooner. However, according to Dr. Back, future studies are need to determine how traditional lower-field MRIs can be made more sensitive to these white matter lesions.
Read the team’s paper in the Annals of Neurology or view the OHSU news release.
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