Abstract
PURPOSE: To explore whether MR fingerprinting (MRF) scans provide motion-robust and quantitative brain tissue measurements for non-sedated infants with prenatal opioid exposure (POE). STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: 13 infants with POE (3 male; 12 newborns (age 7-65 days) and 1 infant aged 9-months). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3T, 3D T1-weighted MPRAGE, 3D T2-weighted TSE and MRF sequences. ASSESSMENT: The image quality of MRF and MRI was assessed in a fully crossed, multiple-reader, multiple-case study. Sixteen image quality features in three types-image artifacts, structure and myelination visualization-were ranked by four neuroradiologists (8, 7, 5, and 8 years of experience respectively), using a 3-point scale. MRF T1 and T2 values in 8 white matter brain regions were compared between babies younger than 1 month and babies between 1 and 2 months. STATISTICAL TESTS: Generalized estimating equations model to test the significance of differences of regional T1 and T2 values of babies under 1 month and those older. MRI and MRF image quality was assessed using Gwet's second order auto-correlation coefficient (AC(2)) with confidence levels. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to assess the difference in proportions between MRF and MRI for all features and stratified by the type of features. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The MRF of two infants were excluded in T1 and T2 value analysis due to severe motion artifact but were included in the image quality assessment. In infants under 1 month of age (N = 6), the T1 and T2 values were significantly higher compared to those between 1 and 2 months of age (N = 4). MRF images showed significantly higher image quality ratings in all three feature types compared to MRI images. CONCLUSIONS: MR Fingerprinting scans have potential to be a motion-robust and efficient method for nonsedated infants. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 1.