The application of magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging in the diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and kernicterus in premature infants

BACKGROUND: To explore the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and kernicterus in premature infants. METHODS: Fifty-eight premature infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and fifty-eight premature infants with kernicterus who were examined and treated in our hospital between January 2018 and January 2021 were assigned to the observation group or the control group. All patients were examined by MRI imaging and DWI imaging, and the examination results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, or negative predictive value between the observation group and the control group (P>0.05). MRI could clearly visualize the signal changes of patients, whereas DWI did not show any signal changes. There was no significant difference between MRI and DWI in the diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in premature infants. Further, there was no significant difference in the diagnostic performance of MRI between the observation group and the control group (P>0.05). However, the diagnostic performance of DWI in the control group was better than that in the observation group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MRI and DWI imaging have high detection rates for the diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and kernicterus in premature infants. These imaging methods can benefit the treatment of premature infants and have important clinical application value.