Regional assessment of cerebral oxygen extraction fraction in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy: a pilot study

Hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy (HIE) is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and severe neurological impairment in childhood. Quantification of cerebral oxygen-extraction-fraction (OEF) in neonates with HIE may provide valuable information to guide the treatment and predict clinical outcome. In this pilot study, we used a novel MRI technique, accelerated-T 2 -relaxation-under-phase-contrast (aTRUPC), to measure regional OEF in neonates with HIE. We demonstrated a trend towards lower cortical OEF in HIE neonates compared to healthy controls. In addition, neonates with severer brain injury had lower cortical OEF. These findings suggest that regional OEF measurement may be useful in evaluating cerebral injuries in HIE.