Correlation between water diffusion values and histopathological white matter changes in fixed tissue from a primate model of premature birth: 339

Abstract

Background: Diffusion MR techniques are increasingly utilized in human preterm infants to reflect white matter microstructure and its integrity.Objective: To assess the relationship of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), from diffusion MR imaging, to the severity of white matter injury and maturation in fixed tissue from a baboon model of premature birthMethods: Thirty-one baboons were delivered at 125 d gestational age (GA, equivalent to 28 weeks GA in the human) and were sacrificed between 139 and 160 d post-conceptional age (PCA). Support included surfactant, ventilator support, inotropic support, TPN, and physiological monitoring. Following sacrifice, the brains were immersion fixe..