Preterm Formula, Fortified or Unfortified Human Milk for Very Preterm Infants, the PREMFOOD Study: A Parallel Randomised Feasibility Trial.

Objective: Uncertainty exists regarding optimal supplemental diet for very preterm infants if the mother's own milk (MM) is insufficient. We evaluated feasibility for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) powered to detect important differences in health outcomes.

Methods: In this open, parallel, feasibility trial, we randomised infants 25+0-31+6 weeks of gestation by opt-out consent to one of three diets: unfortified human milk (UHM) (unfortified MM and/or unfortified pasteurised human donor milk (DM) supplement), fortified human milk (FHM) (fortified MM and/or fortified DM supplement), and unfortified MM and/or preterm formula (PTF) supplement from birth to 35+0 weeks post menstrual age.

Accuracy of collagen fibre estimation under noise using directional MR imaging.

In tissues containing significant amounts of organised collagen, such as tendons, ligaments, menisci and articular cartilage, MR imaging exhibits a strong signal intensity variation caused by the angle between the collagen fibres and the magnetic field. By obtaining scans at different field orientations it is possible to determine the unknown fibre orientations and to deduce the underlying tissue microstructure. Our previous work demonstrated how this method can detect ligament injuries and maturity-related changes in collagen fibre structures.

Detection of maturity and ligament injury using magic angle directional imaging.

Purpose: To investigate whether magnetic field-related anisotropies of collagen may be correlated with postmortem findings in animal models.

Methods: Optimized scan planning and new MRI data-processing methods were proposed and analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations. Six caprine and 10 canine knees were scanned at various orientations to the main magnetic field.

Avoiding sedation in research MRI and spectroscopy in infants: our approach, success rate and prevalence of incidental findings.

Performing magnetic resonance investigations in a paediatric population can be difficult; image acquisition is commonly complicated by movement artefact and non-compliance. Sedation is widely used for clinically indicated investigations, but there is controversy when used for research imaging. Over a 10-year period we have performed whole body MRI on over 450 infants and hepatic magnetic resonance spectroscopy on over 270 infants.

Magnetic resonance imaging of cortical bone with ultrashort TE pulse sequences.

Purpose: Normal adult cortical bone has a very short T(2) and characteristically produces no signal with pulse sequence echo times (TEs) routinely used in clinical practice. We wished to determine whether it was possible to use ultrashort TE (UTE) pulse sequences to detect signal from cortical bone in human subjects and use this signal to characterise this tissue.

Subjects And Methods: Seven volunteers and 10 patients were examined using ultrashort TE pulse sequences (TE=0.

Magic angle effects in MR neurography.

Background And Purpose: Magic angle effects are well recognized in MR imaging of tendons and ligaments, but have received virtually no attention in MR neurography. We investigated the hypothesis that signal intensity from peripheral nerves is increased when the nerve's orientation to the constant magnetic induction field (B(0)) approaches 55 degrees (the magic angle).

Methods: Ten volunteers were examined with their peripheral nerves at different orientations to B(0) to detect any changes in signal intensity and provide data to estimate T2.

Magnetic resonance imaging of periosteum with ultrashort TE pulse sequences.

Purpose: To assess the values of pulse sequences with ultrashort echo times (0.08 msec) for detecting and characterizing periosteum.

Materials And Methods: Two normal volunteers aged 33 and 58 years and 12 patients aged seven to 55 years were studied.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the liver with ultrashort TE (UTE) pulse sequences.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of imaging the liver in volunteers and patients with ultrashort echo time (UTE) pulse sequences.

Materials And Methods: Seven normal controls as well as 12 patients with biopsy-proven generalized liver disease and three patients with focal disease were examined using pulse sequences with initial TEs of 0.08 msec followed by three later echoes, with or without frequency-based fat suppression.