Magnetic resonance imaging of normal brain maturation.

At this time, the unique ability of MRI to show both brain anatomy and pathology, with a high degree of sensitivity, makes it an indispensible tool with which to evaluate infants and children. Before interpreting such images, however, it is essential to be fully aware of the spectrum of normal age-related appearances of the neonatal brain, in order to avoid a normal child being erroneously given an abnormal diagnosis. The MRI literature already contains early reports of follow-up studies on children with abnormal myelin patterns. In the future, the noninvasive nature of MRI will allow sequential studies to be performed on larger groups of children, offering an unprecedented opportunity to study the progression of both normal and abnormal myelination.