The Association between Ventricle Ratio in Preterm Infants and Motor Developmental Delay

Early prediction and timely intervention are particularly essential for high-risk preterm infants. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (BMRI) is frequently used alongside functional evaluations to improve predictions of developmental outcomes. This study aimed to assess voxel-based brain volumetry in e...

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Published inDevelopmental neuroscience Vol. 47; no. 3; p. 183
Main Authors Shin, Hyun Iee, Lee, Na Mi, Kim, Sun Mi, Hwang, Hyunchan, Choi, Gangta, Han, Doug Hyun, Kim, Don-Kyu
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland 01.06.2025
Subjects
Brain - diagnostic imaging
Brain - growth & development
Cerebral Ventricles - diagnostic imaging
Child Development - physiology
Developmental Disabilities - diagnostic imaging
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Extremely Premature
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods
Male
Brain magnetic resonance images
Brain volumetry
Ventricle ratio
Developmental outcome
Preterm infants
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Summary:Early prediction and timely intervention are particularly essential for high-risk preterm infants. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (BMRI) is frequently used alongside functional evaluations to improve predictions of developmental outcomes. This study aimed to assess voxel-based brain volumetry in extremely preterm infants using BMRI at term equivalent age (TEA) and investigate its association with developmental outcomes. From March 2016 to December 2019, high-risk preterm infants (birth weight <1,500 g or gestational age <32 weeks) with BMRI at TEA and follow-up developmental data assessed by Bayley-III were included. For BMRI volumetry, manual tracing and segmentation were performed on T1-weighted scans, and after smoothing, voxels were calculated for each brain segment. Forty-seven subjects were enrolled and categorized into typical/delayed motor groups. Results revealed a significant difference in ventricle size and ventricle ratio in BMRI at TEA between the groups. Even after controlling for other factors that could influence developmental outcomes, ventricle ratio emerged as a robust, single predictor for future motor development. This study suggests the potential clinical utility of BMRI volumetry in predicting motor development outcomes.
ISSN:1421-9859
DOI:10.1159/000540754