Synthetic MRI in Evaluating Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia: a Feasibility Study

Motivation: Brain injury induced by neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is an important cause of abnormal development of infant nervous system. The traditional use of serum total bilirubin as a diagnostic marker is inconsistent and imprecise. Goal(s): This study aims to investigate the relationship between different levels of bilirubin and quantitative parameters of SyMRI with hyperbilirubinemia. Approach: A total of 107 NHB and 22 healthy infants were recruited in the study. Obtain T1, T2, and PD values by scanning SyMRI sequences. Results: There were significant difference in T1 values of globus pallidus and cerebral peduncle at different levels of TSB, and there were negative correlation. Impact: The assessment of neonatal bilirubin encephalopathy with increased signals from the pallidus has a high degree of subjectivity. SyMRI can reflect biological information through quantitative parameters, providing objective basis for the early diagnosis of NHB.