Monitoring infant brain perfusion by trans-fontanel echography (MIFFY)

Themes: Health and Wellbeing

In this project we will develop a device that uses 3D ultrasound to monitor brain perfusion in preterm infants.

One in ten children is born prematurely, which amounts to approximately 500,000 preterm infants in Europe each year. Thanks to improvements in fetal and neonatal care, the survival rate in preterm infants has been significantly improved. Yet, they regularly show neurodevelopmental problems, including cognitive deficits, motor disabilities and psychiatric diseases with ensuing lifelong burdens for the up-growing individuals and their families. A major cause of these neurodevelopmental problems is brain injury, linked to inadequate brain perfusion during and after delivery.

In this project we will develop a light-weight, low-power monitoring device that uses 3D ultrasound to assess brain perfusion every 10 minutes through the baby’s fontanel. On a workstation, nurses and doctors can monitor the resulting images and provide timely and guided treatment if required.

Project data

Researchers: Michiel Pertijs, Peng Guo
Starting date: January 2018
Closing date: January 2022
Sponsor: NWO-TTW
Partners:

Laboratory of Acoustical Wavefield Imaging, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology

Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Contact: Michiel Pertijs

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