Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Brain MRI has become a standard diagnostic and prognostic technique in neonatal care. Although clinicians do not need to understand all the technical aspects of MRI and how to interpret images, it is important to know when MRI is indicated and what information we can expect to obtain. It is also important to understand the information provided in radiological reports and be able to use it in combination with other clinical data and be conversant with data on imaging relationships to outcomes in different disorders in order to optimize diagnosis and prognosis. Finally, clinicians need to be able to communicate this information to parents in a way that is understandable to them. This chapter provides an overview of the sequences most commonly used in neonatal MRI, their uses and indications, and how the main brain structures are seen on MRI, in normal and abnormal situations.