The Evolution of Cerebral Blood Flow in the Developing Brain: Evaluation with Iodine-123 Iodoamphetamine SPECT and Correlation with MR Imaging

Case 5 at about 40 weeks' gestational age.

A–C, Axial (A), coronal (B), and sagittal (C) SPECT scans show prominent cortical activity in the paracentral gyri and low activity in the medial occipital cortices.

D and E, Axial SE (3000/90) MR images show low signal intensity in ventrolateral thalami (arrows, D), and paracentral gyri (arrows, E), which was considered to be an early myelinated area.

F, Axial SE (600/15) MR image shows high signal intensity in internal capsule to brain stem.

Case 9 at 44 weeks' gestational age.

A–C, Axial (A), coronal (B), and sagittal (C) SPECT scans show parietal and occipital activity is more prominent than that of the 40-week-old neonate.

Case 6 at 53 weeks' gestational age.

A–C, Axial (A), coronal (B), and sagittal (C) SPECT scans show activity in the frontal and temporal cortices (arrows, A and B) but still lower than that in the parietal and occipital cortices.

Case 10 at 5 months of age.

A–C, Axial (A), coronal (B), and sagittal (C) SPECT scans show diffuse cortical activity, with prominent activity in parietal cortex. Relative activity in the thalami, brain stem, and cerebellum subsided around this stage.

D, Axial SE (600/15) MR image shows absence of myelination in the frontal white matter.

Case 12 at 8 months of age.

A–C, Axial (A), coronal (B), and sagittal (C) SPECT scans show frontal, temporal, and basal ganglia activity is still lower than that of adult pattern.