Multi-Center Fetal Brain Tissue Annotation (FeTA) Challenge 2022 Results.

Segmentation is a critical step in analyzing the developing human fetal brain. There have been vast improvements in automatic segmentation methods in the past several years, and the Fetal Brain Tissue Annotation (FeTA) Challenge 2021 helped to establish an excellent standard of fetal brain segmentation. However, FeTA 2021 was a single center study, limiting real-world clinical applicability and acceptance.

Beyond milestones and percentiles: Revisiting non-cognitive and non-interpretive skills in radiology.

While there is no precise formula for a great radiology resident, certain attributes and achievements may herald success during training. We briefly review prior works exploring predictive factors and evaluation metrics of top resident performance, noting that those focusing on non-cognitive attributes are over twenty years old. As radiology practice and education has substantially evolved in the interim, we revisit this topic from a contemporary perspective.

Dandy-Walker Phenotype with Brainstem Involvement: 2 Distinct Subgroups with Different Prognosis.

Background And Purpose: Although cardinal imaging features for the diagnostic criteria of the Dandy-Walker phenotype have been recently defined, there is a large range of unreported malformations among these patients. The brainstem, in particular, deserves careful attention because malformations in this region have potentially important implications for clinical outcomes. In this article, we offer detailed information on the association of brainstem dysgenesis in a large, multicentric cohort of patients with the Dandy-Walker phenotype, defining different subtypes of involvement and their potential clinical impact.

Current state of pediatric neuro-oncology imaging, challenges and future directions.

Imaging plays a central role in neuro-oncology including primary diagnosis, treatment planning, and surveillance of tumors. The emergence of quantitative imaging and radiomics provided an uprecedented opportunity to compile mineable databases that can be utilized in a variety of applications. In this review, we aim to summarize the current state of conventional and advanced imaging techniques, standardization efforts, fast protocols, contrast and sedation in pediatric neuro-oncologic imaging, radiomics-radiogenomics, multi-omics and molecular imaging approaches.

Refining the Neuroimaging Definition of the Dandy-Walker Phenotype.

Background And Purpose: The traditionally described Dandy-Walker malformation comprises a range of cerebellar and posterior fossa abnormalities with variable clinical severity. We aimed to establish updated imaging criteria for Dandy-Walker malformation on the basis of cerebellar development.

Materials And Methods: In this multicenter study, retrospective MR imaging examinations from fetuses and children previously diagnosed with Dandy-Walker malformation or vermian hypoplasia were re-evaluated, using the choroid plexus/tela choroidea location and the fastigial recess shape to differentiate Dandy-Walker malformation from vermian hypoplasia.

Pediatric Brain Maturation and Migration Disorders.

Neurodevelopmental disorders, including neuronal migration disorders, are best understood in the context of altered normal development. Neurons normally migrate from their site of origin to their (usually cortical) destination using a wide range of molecular and cellular signaling as a guide. In the case of abnormal migration neurons: (1) do not migrate and remain at their site of origin; (2) incompletely migrate and remain within the white matter; (3) migrate to the cortex but fail to organize correctly; or (4) over-migrate, beyond the cortex.

Clinical Assessment of Deep Learning-based Super-Resolution for 3D Volumetric Brain MRI.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based image enhancement has the potential to reduce scan times while improving signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and maintaining spatial resolution. This study prospectively evaluated AI-based image enhancement in 32 consecutive patients undergoing clinical brain MRI. Standard-of-care (SOC) three-dimensional (3D) T1 precontrast, 3D T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, and 3D T1 postcontrast sequences were performed along with 45% faster versions of these sequences using half the number of phase-encoding steps.

Technical and practical tips for performing brain magnetic resonance imaging in premature neonates.

MR imaging of premature neonates is challenging due to their small size, need for temperature support and monitoring, and immature central nervous system. Use of MR compatible incubators and MR compatible monitoring apparatus, careful selection of imaging protocols, and real time review of images by a radiologist can streamline the imaging process and improve image quality. Imaging should be focused upon (1) the child's biorhythms (imaging during sleep cycles), (2) minimizing delays during transport and (3) delaying noisy MR sequences until the end of an examination.

Association between Quantitative MR Markers of Cortical Evolving Organization and Gene Expression during Human Prenatal Brain Development.

The relationship between structural changes of the cerebral cortex revealed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and gene expression in the human fetal brain has not been explored. In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that relative regional thickness (a measure of cortical evolving organization) of fetal cortical compartments (cortical plate [CP] and subplate [SP]) is associated with expression levels of genes with known cortical phenotype. Mean regional SP/CP thickness ratios across age measured on in utero MRI of 25 healthy fetuses (20-33 gestational weeks [GWs]) were correlated with publicly available regional gene expression levels (23-24 GW fetuses).

Effects of ventricular entry on patient outcome during glioblastoma resection.

Objective: Tumor proximity to the ventricle and ventricular entry (VE) during surgery have both been associated with worse prognoses; however, the interaction between these two factors is poorly understood. Given the benefit of maximal tumor resection, it is imperative for surgical planning and technique to know if VE has negative consequences for patient survival and tumor dissemination.

Methods: The University of California, San Francisco tumor registry was searched for patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent supratentorial glioblastoma (GBM) who underwent resection by the senior author between 2013 and 2018.

Cerebrovascular complications of coccidioidomycosis meningitis: Case report and systematic review.

Coccidioidomycosis exposure is common in the southwest United States and northern Mexico. Dissemination to the meninges is the most severe form of progression. Although ischemic strokes are well-reported in these patients, other cerebrovascular complications of coccidioidomycosis meningitis (CM), as well as their treatment options and outcomes, have not been systematically studied.

Allogeneic HSCT for adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with spheroids and pigmented glia.

Adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP) is an autosomal dominant leukoencephalopathy caused by mutations in colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R). Here we report clinical and imaging outcomes following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in two patients with ALSP at the University of California, San Francisco between January 2016 and December 2017. Patient 1 proceeded to transplantation at age 53 with a haplo-identical sibling donor.

MR Imaging of Normal Brain Development.

Normal brain development is best evaluated by MR imaging in the fetal and pediatric patient. As the developing brain grows, myelinates, and sulcates rapidly, understanding the normal appearance of the brain throughout development is critical. The fetal brain can be evaluated by MR imaging after 16 weeks gestational age, both morphologically and biometrically.

Regionally specific TSC1 and TSC2 gene expression in tuberous sclerosis complex.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a heritable neurodevelopmental disorder, is caused by mutations in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes. To date, there has been little work to elucidate regional TSC1 and TSC2 gene expression within the human brain, how it changes with age, and how it may influence disease. Using a publicly available microarray dataset, we found that TSC1 and TSC2 gene expression was highest within the adult neo-cerebellum and that this pattern of increased cerebellar expression was maintained throughout postnatal development.

Abnormal Morphology of Select Cortical and Subcortical Regions in Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

Purpose To evaluate whether patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-a multisystem neurodevelopmental disorder with myriad imaging manifestations, including focal transient myelin vacuolization within the deep gray nuclei, brainstem, and cerebellum-exhibit differences in cortical and subcortical structures, particularly in subcortical regions where these abnormalities manifest. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, by using clinically obtained three-dimensional T1-weighted MR images and established image analysis methods, 10 intracranial volume-corrected subcortical and 34 cortical regions of interest (ROIs) were quantitatively assessed in 32 patients with NF1 and 245 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. By using linear models, ROI cortical thicknesses and volumes were compared between patients with NF1 and control subjects, as a function of age.

Challenges in pediatric neuroimaging.

Pediatric neuroimaging is challenging due the rapid structural, metabolic, and functional changes that occur in the developing brain. A specially trained team is needed to produce high quality diagnostic images in children, due to their small physical size and immaturity. Patient motion, cooperation and medical condition dictate the methods and equipment used.

CXCR4 involvement in neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases likely share common underlying pathobiology. Although prior work has identified susceptibility loci associated with various dementias, few, if any, studies have systematically evaluated shared genetic risk across several neurodegenerative diseases. Using genome-wide association data from large studies (total n = 82,337 cases and controls), we utilized a previously validated approach to identify genetic overlap and reveal common pathways between progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Pediatric neuro MRI: tricks to minimize sedation.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the workhorse modality in pediatric neuroimaging because it provides excellent soft-tissue contrast without ionizing radiation. Until recently, studies were uninterpretable without sedation; however, given development of shorter sequences, sequences that correct for motion, and studies showing the potentially deleterious effects of sedation on immature laboratory animals, it is prudent to minimize sedation when possible. This manuscript provides basic guidelines for performing pediatric neuro MRI without sedation by both modifying technical factors to reduce scan time and noise, and using a multi-disciplinary team to coordinate imaging with the patient's biorhythms.

Bevacizumab: radiation combination produces restricted diffusion on brain MRI.

Aims: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of bevacizumab (BEV) on the diffusion properties of irradiated brain gliomas.

Materials & Methods: Neuroimaging studies and medical records of 44 patients undergoing treatment for cerebral gliomas were reviewed. MRIs were analyzed for presence of restricted diffusion, time to onset, pattern/location, duration of restriction, and persistence of restriction post-treatment with BEV.

Quantitative analysis of spatial distortions of diffusion techniques at 3T.

Diffusion has been widely adopted in the clinical setting to study the microstructural tissue changes in conjunction with anatomic imaging and metabolic imaging to offer insights on the status of the tissue injury or lesion. However, geometric distortions caused by magnetic susceptibility effects, eddy currents and gradient imperfections greatly affect the clinical utility of the diffusion images. Several diffusion methods have been proposed in the recent years to obtain diffusion parameters with increased accuracy.