Background

Improved understanding of cerebral arterial growth in children may lead to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cerebrovascular disease. We correlated cross-sectional diameters of major cerebral arterial structures with age, sex, head circumference, weight, and height in children without cerebrovascular disease.

Methods

Children with normal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were retrospectively identified and stratified into 23 age cohorts from birth to age 18 years. Absence of vascular disease was verified by medical record review. Demographic and biometric data were obtained from medical records. Intracranial arterial diameter (IAD) was measured on T2-weighted fast spin echo brain MRI of vertebral, basilar, internal carotid artery, and circle of Willis arterial segments.

Results

A total of 307 subjects are included in the analysis, including 5833 vessel segments (mean age 8.4 years, 53% female). Indications for imaging were headache (73%), seizure (26%) and concussion (1%). IAD rapidly increased during the first year of life (mean growth velocity 0.064 to 0.213 mm/month) and then plateaued or slightly decreased between age one and 18 years (mean growth velocity −0.002 to 0.003 mm/month). Multivariable analysis shows strongest correlation with head circumference as a predictor of IAD. Weaker correlations are associated with weight and age. Height and sex are not well correlated with IAD.

Conclusions

Intracranial arteries grow rapidly during the first year of life and then sharply plateau or slightly decrease in luminal diameter between infancy and early adulthood. IAD is more closely correlated with head circumference than age.

中文翻译：

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儿童脑动脉生长

背景

提高对儿童脑动脉生长的了解可能会导致儿童脑血管疾病的诊断和治疗取得进展。我们将没有脑血管疾病的儿童的主要脑动脉结构的横截面直径与年龄、性别、头围、体重和身高相关联。

方法

回顾性确定脑部磁共振成像 (MRI) 正常的儿童，并将其分为 23 个从出生到 18 岁的年龄组。通过病历审查证实无血管疾病。人口统计学和生物特征数据来自医疗记录。颅内动脉直径 (IAD) 在 T2 加权快速自旋回波脑 MRI 上测量椎体、基底动脉、颈内动脉和 Willis 动脉环段。

结果

共有 307 名受试者被纳入分析，包括 5833 个血管节段（平均年龄 8.4 岁，53% 为女性）。影像学适应症为头痛 (73%)、癫痫发作 (26%) 和脑震荡 (1%)。IAD 在生命的第一年迅速增加（平均生长速度 0.064 至 0.213 毫米/月），然后在 1 至 18 岁之间达到平稳或略有下降（平均生长速度 -0.002 至 0.003 毫米/月）。多变量分析显示，头围与 IAD 的预测相关性最强。较弱的相关性与体重和年龄有关。身高和性别与 IAD 没有很好的相关性。

结论

颅内动脉在出生后的第一年快速生长，然后在婴儿期和成年早期之间的管腔直径急剧平稳或略微减小。与年龄相比，IAD 与头围的关系更为密切。