Use of 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy to characterize evolving brain damage after perinatal asphyxia.

We investigated postasphyxial brain damage with 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and correlated it with neurologic assessment and standard laboratory evaluation during the first 10 months of life in 1 infant, baby G. We compared these observations to 31P MRS data from 7 healthy term newborns, 1 normal infant examined serially over the first 8.5 months of life, and 5 other term infants following perinatal asphyxia. MRS noninvasively provides biochemical correlates of the evolution of brain damage following perinatal asphyxia and suggests that pH derived from the inorganic phosphate peak may serve as a marker for brain injury.