Identifying anatomic brain structures using ultra-low field MRI in newborns.

BACKGROUND: Besides its limitations, cranial ultrasound is the standard imaging method in neonates. Early postnatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers more objective measurements, but access to MRI is often limited. Portable ultralow-field (ULF) MRI could expand MRI access. To date, no comparison is available between cranial ultrasound and ULF MRI measuring neonatal brain metrics.

METHODS: We performed paired ULF MRI and cranial ultrasound in 28 term newborns. Dimensions of ten routinely measured anatomic structures were measured and compared between the modalities.

FINDINGS: Correlations between ULF MRI and ultrasound biometrics was significant for most anatomic brain structures (median correlation coefficient 0,73).

INTERPRETATION: ULF MRI reliably displays ultrasound biometry of the neonatal brain. We found that ULF imaging can be performed as point-of-care MRI at the neonatal bedside during natural sleep, which may widen the access to MRI.

FUNDING: This work is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Ultralow field Neuroimaging in The Young: INV-005798).

Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PMID: 41046064