Usefulness of apparent diffusion coefficient values for assessment of MRI abnormality at term equivalent age in low-birth-weight infants weighing less than 1500 g

To determine whether apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements at term equivalent age (TEA) are useful for assessment of major abnormalities revealed by MRI.

Of 405 neonates who underwent MRI during the period 2016–2022, 101 low birth weight (LBW) infants (birth weight < 1500 g) were imaged at TEA. ADC values were measured in the thalamus, basal ganglia, anterior and posterior centrum semiovale, pons, and cerebellar hemisphere. The ADC values in LBW infants with and without major abnormalities evident on MRI were compared at the above six sites. Abnormal findings included IVH-3 IVH-4, more than six punctate white matter lesion, white matter injury (cystic or non-cystic), and major cerebellar hemorrhage. LBW infants overall (N = 101) and an extreme LBW (ELBW) group (< 1000 g) (N = 55) were compared and area under the curve was calculated using ROC analysis.

There were no difference in ADC values between LBW infants with and without major abnormalities. In ELBW infants, ADC values in the cerebellum were higher when major abnormalities were present (p = 0.045). ROC analysis yielded AUC < 0.7 for both LBW cases overall and ELBW cases.

For LBW infants overall, ADC measurements alone at TEA are not very useful for differentiation between individuals with and without major abnormalities, but ELBW infants with major abnormalitiesshowed higher ADC values in the cerebellum, suggesting that the normal reduction of ADC occurring with maturation between preterm birth and TEA may be impaired.