{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T03:29:04Z","timestamp":1789010944604,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,22]],"date-time":"2025-05-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747872000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini","award":["UAUT (2022_258_0)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UAUT (2022_258_0)"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Hyperbilirubinemia in newborns can lead to kernicterus, a severe form of neonatal encephalopathy caused by bilirubin toxicity. Despite timely interventions such as exchange transfusion, kernicterus can still develop, especially in high-risk infants. MRI is crucial for detecting early and evolving signs of bilirubin-induced brain damage. Case Report: We report a term newborn who developed severe hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus despite receiving exchange transfusion. The infant presented on day 3 of life with jaundice, hypotonia, and feeding difficulties and had a bilirubin level of 51 mg\/dL. After exchange transfusion, bilirubin levels normalized, but neurotoxicity persisted. Initial MRI at one month showed mild T1 hyperintensity in the hippocampi with no changes in the basal ganglia. At two months, T1 hyperintensities in the hippocampi partially resolved. By six months, MRI revealed T2 hyperintensities in the globus pallidus and hippocampal atrophy, consistent with kernicterus. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) showed reduced N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels, indicating neuronal loss. Discussion: MRI is essential in monitoring bilirubin-induced brain injury. In this case, early MRI findings showed mild hippocampal T1 hyperintensity, which resolved partially. At six months, T2 hyperintensities in the globus pallidus confirmed chronic bilirubin encephalopathy. MRS demonstrated a reduction in N-acetylaspartate, indicative of neuronal loss. Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging (SWI) showed no abnormalities, likely due to the myelination process in neonates. Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of repeated MRI in detecting bilirubin-induced brain damage. Early neuroimaging enables timely interventions and improves long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with severe hyperbilirubinemia.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci15060539","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,22]],"date-time":"2025-05-22T07:04:28Z","timestamp":1747897468000},"page":"539","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The Importance of Neuroimaging Follow-Up in Bilirubin-Induced Encephalopathy: A Clinical Case Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5630-253X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martina","family":"Resaz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Services, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-0043-8666","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessia","family":"Pepe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Mother and Child Health, School of Medical and Pharmaceuticals, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5621-4046","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Domenico","family":"Tortora","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Services, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Rossi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Services, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Health Science, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca Antonio","family":"Ramenghi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Mother and Child Health, School of Medical and Pharmaceuticals, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Maternal and Neonatal Health, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2710-1798","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Calandrino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Maternal and Neonatal Health, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"610","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-4642(18)30139-1","article-title":"Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia: A global perspective","volume":"2","author":"Olusanya","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet Child. 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