Advanced MRI in IVH

When babies are born very early, their brains are still developing and can be quite delicate. Sometimes, tiny blood vessels can break in the brain's fluid-filled spaces, called ventricles. This bleeding is serious and can eventually cause too much fluid to build up in the brain, a condition called hydrocephalus. This extra fluid can put pressure on the brain and can cause problems with a baby's development.

At the moment, the usual treatment for this fluid build-up is to drain the excess fluid to relieve the pressure. However, researchers have found that the blood itself and what it breaks down into can be harmful to the developing brain. Following promising early results, doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) have developed an operation that not only drains this fluid but also gently washes out the harmful blood from the brain using a tiny camera and tools (called an endoscope). This study wants to compare this new 'washout' treatment with the standard fluid drainage treatment to see which is more helpful for babies.

We will also be using very advanced MRI scans for babies in this study at GOSH and Alder Hey Children's Hospital. These special scans will help us get a much more detailed picture of the brain's structure, how it works, and how fluids are flowing. By looking closely at these scans, we hope to understand how the washout procedure (if a baby has it) affects the brain. We also want to see if these new scans can give us better clues about how babies might develop later on and what kind of support they might need. If these new scanning methods prove useful, the aim is to use them more widely in the NHS to help more babies.