Clinical Utility of Optimised Ultra-Low Field Structural MR Brain imaging in Neonates

Perinatal brain injury and congenital brain abnormalities are common. Access to definitive neuro imaging is limited globally, particularly within resource constrained settings, or in infants too sick to transfer to scanning departments. New devices utilising ultra-low field magnets may herald a revolution in lower-cost high-access MRI, but preliminary results using manufacturer standard adult-optimised sequences has produced suboptimal image quality in neonates. We performed optimisation of low field MRI pulse sequence design and demonstrate enhanced visualization of key brain tissues and neuroanatomical structures. Neonatal-specific sequences show promising performance across a range of gestational maturities and perinatal brain abnormalities.