NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A magnetic resonance (MR)-compatible incubator with integrated radiofrequency (RF) coils streamlines imaging of newborns and allows for excellent MR images, according to a report in the May issue of Radiology.
“Procedures for MR imaging of newborns are often not really good,” Dr. Stefan Bluml from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, told Reuters Health. “The quality is low, because equipment designed for adults is used, and the logistical challenges of patient handling and monitoring are considerable. The incubator can streamline patient preparation by doing most of the work in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).”
Dr. Bluml and colleagues investigated whether an MR-compatible incubator with airflow, humidity, and temperature regulators could provide a safe and controlled environment for preterm newborns and whether the integrated RF coils could improve the diagnostic quality of MR imaging.
They enrolled 13 infants. Nine infants underwent brain imaging, 2 underwent pelvic imaging and 2 underwent cardiac imaging.
Incubator temperature, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and electrocardiographic status remained stable throughout all examinations, which lasted an average of 47 minutes, the authors report.
Mean skin temperatures increased slightly over time, the report indicates, but variations exceeded 0.5 degrees C in only two patients. Mean axillary temperatures were similarly stable.
All nine brain MRI examinations were ranked higher than those obtained at six control examinations in the quality of the delineation of white and gray matter, the researchers note. Diagnostic-quality pelvic and heart images were also obtained.
Use of the MR-compatible incubator increased the mean signal-to-noise ratio of the MR spectra by a factor of 2.8, the investigators report.
“Integrated equipment designed for newborns (special radiofrequency coil) ensures the best quality of MR images,” Dr. Bluml said. “This improves diagnoses based on MR and enables early therapeutic intervention if required/possible.”
“In addition,” Dr. Bluml said, “very importantly, the controlled environment may make it possible to study very sick newborns that could benefit from an MR scan. Often patients need an MR scan but the physicians don’t send them to the MR because they are too sick.”
The MR-compatible incubator is an additional expensive piece of equipment, Dr. Bluml added. “It will only be more cost efficient if the incubator shortens the time the patient spends in the MR scanner and improves the overall use of an MR system. However, this could be easily achieved with the incubator since all the preparations can be done inside the NICU.”
Source: Radiology 2004;231:594-601. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Child Care: Critical Care: Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and Services: Patient Care: Health Services: Infant Care: Therapeutics: Intensive Care, Neonatal: Intensive Care: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: Health CareCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
