Automated assessment of neonatal internal capsule maturation on T2-weighted MRI across 7T and 3T
Journal:
medRxiv
Published Date:
Jun 3, 2026
Abstract
Motivation: Quantitative assessment of neonatal internal capsule (IC) maturation remains largely reliant on qual- itative visual evaluation, limiting objectivity and scalability. Approach: We developed a fully automated 3D deep learning framework for anatomically detailed segmentation of IC subregions and PLIC myelin-related signal from structural T2-weighted MRI, trained on both high-resolution 7T and conventional 3T neonatal datasets. Volumetric and intensity-based metrics were derived, and developmental trajectories were modelled using postmenstrual age (PMA) and postnatal age (PNA), with normative modelling used to quantify individual deviations. Results: The pipeline achieved high segmentation accuracy across field strengths (Dice > 0.95, relative volume difference < 5%). IC metrics showed robust age-related changes, with volumetric measures increasing and intensity- based measures decreasing with PMA. PNA effects indicated prematurity-related modulation at equivalent maturational age. These patterns generalized to 3T, where normative modelling revealed significant deviations in preterm infants, particularly for myelin-related intensity measures. Conclusion: Structural T2-weighted MRI, combined with anatomically informed segmentation, enables quantitative and biologically meaningful assessment of neonatal IC maturation. This provides a scalable framework for studying early white matter development and supports potential clinical translation.
