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Study of brain growth in children—a new approach to volume measurements using MRI-reconstructed 3D neuroimaging

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Abstract

Objective

The three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed neuroimages are currently available to analyze brain structure. It provides a new tool for clinical evaluation and academic research on brain. However, there are several methods for processing 3D images. In this article, we present a technique that utilizes a work station and a software program to process reconstructed 3D neuroimages after magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning.

Methods

The brain volumes of 50 normal children aged between 3 months and 12 years and 11 months were measured by 3D neuroimages reconstructed from regular MRI scans. These results were then analyzed statistically against the growth curve.

Results

The regression curve of cortical growth was y = 39.317Ln(x) + 631.31, R 2 = 0.1318. The regression curve of white matter growth was y = 81.754Ln(x) + 186.07, R2 = 0.5675. The regression curve of whole brain growth was y = 121.07Ln(x) + 817.738, R 2 = 0.4077. Current studies show that at the postnatal stage, the cortex grows mainly between birth and 4 years of age. At the same time, the postnatal development of the brain depends mainly on the growth of white matter from birth through adolescence.

Conclusions

This study presents the basic data from a study of children’s brains using reconstructed 3D brain images. A 3D reconstructed neuroimage provides a new tool for neurological and psychological in vivo research of the brain. Based on the techniques we introduce here, the clinician may evaluate the growth of the brain in a more efficient and precise manner.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Gen-Jia Li and Yi-Lu Chien for technical assistance and Yun-Yin Chen for manuscript drafting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, China

    Ein-Yiao Shen

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Medical University-Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Ein-Yiao Shen & Kuan-Hsun Wu

  3. Department of Radiology, Taipei Medical University-Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Ming-Fan Lin & Chia-Yuan Chen

  4. China Medical University, No.91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, Taiwan, 40402, Republic of China

    Ein-Yiao Shen

Authors
  1. Ein-Yiao Shen
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  2. Kuan-Hsun Wu
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Correspondence to Ein-Yiao Shen.

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Shen, EY., Wu, KH., Lin, MF. et al. Study of brain growth in children—a new approach to volume measurements using MRI-reconstructed 3D neuroimaging. Childs Nerv Syst 26, 1619–1623 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-010-1280-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-010-1280-1

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