Phase-contrast neuroimaging for early detection of brain injury at birth.

While imaging forms the cornerstone of the diagnosis, management and monitoring of neurological diseases, conventional imaging methods are only able to resolve relatively large structural abnormalities or lesions. Subtle lesions are largely invisible with current imaging and are common (~50%) in infants born preterm and/or growth-restricted. As a result, infants with white matter brain injuries that cause lifelong intellectual and physical disabilities are commonly not diagnosed until symptoms manifest. Unfortunately, symptoms are often not evident until childhood as this neuropathology is typically diffuse and subtle. Current infant brain imaging techniques are limited to cranial ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, since these techniques generally have poor sensitivity and specificity for detecting diffuse white matter injury (DWMI), we urgently need a technique for early and accurate detection of neonatal brain injury. In this project, we aim to develop novel approaches to image the brain at higher contrast and spatial resolution than ever achieved before. We will fully explore the accuracy and reliability of using synchrotron X-ray phase contrast computed tomography (PC-CT) in detecting subtle brain injuries in a relevant animal model.