Validity of SyMRI for Assessment of the Neonatal Brain

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of T1-weighted and T2-weighted contrasts generated by the MR data postprocessing software SyMRI (Synthetic MR AB, Linköping, Sweden) for neonatal brain imaging. METHODS: In this study 36 cases of neonatal MRI were retrospectively collected, which included T1-weighted and T2-weighted sequences as well as multi-dynamic multi-echo (MDME) sequences. Of the 36 neonates 32 were included in this study and 4 neuroradiologists independently assessed neonatal brain examinations on the basis of conventional and SyMRI-generated T1-weighted and T2-weighted contrasts, in order to determine the presence or absence of lesions. The sensitivity and specificity of both methods were calculated and compared. RESULTS: Compared to conventionally acquired T1 and T2-weighted images, SyMRI-generated contrasts showed a lower sensitivity but a higher specificity (SyMRI sensitivity 0.88, confidence interval (CI): 0.72–0.95; specificity 1, CI: 0.89–1/conventional MRI: sensitivity: 0.94, CI: 0.80–0.98; specificity: 0.94, CI: 0.80–0.98). CONCLUSION: The T1-weighted and T2-weighted images generated by SyMRI showed a diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of conventionally acquired contrasts. In addition to semiquantitative imaging data, SyMRI provides diagnostic images and leads to a more efficient use of available imaging time in neonatal brain MRI.