Table 2.

Scoring system of total maturation score to assess four parameters of cerebral maturation in newborns.

Total maturation score (TMS)	Parameter	Score	Characteristic of T1 or 2-weighted images
Progressive maturation	Myelination (M) on T2-weighted images	M1	Myelination evident in brainstem, cerebellar peduncle, inferior colliculus, cerebellar vermis
		M2	M1+ Subthalamic nuclei, globus pallidus, ventrolateral thalamus
		M3	M2+ Caudal portion of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC)
		M4	M3+ Complete PLIC
		M5	M4+ Optic radiation
		M6	M5+ Corona radiate
		M7	M6+ Anterior limb of internal capsule
	Cortical infolding (C) on T1-weighted images	C1	Frontal and occipital cortex completely smooth, insula wide open; thin bright cortical rim, generally low-intensity white matter (WM)
		C2	Frontal cortex still very smooth, some sulci evident in occipital cortex; insula still wide with almost smooth internal surface; WM low intensity
		C3	Frontal and occipital cortex similar number of convolutions; frontal sulci still quite shallow; internal surface of insula more convoluted; WM still low intensity
		C4	Frontal and occipital cortex folded and rich in sulci; frontal sulci obvious along interhemispheric fissure; occipital WM separated into strands by deeper sulci; Insula more convoluted and infolded; WM still slightly low intensity
		C5	Frontal and occipital WM separated into strands by deeper sulci; insula completely infolded; WM still distinguishable from gray matter
		C6	As C5 but WM now isointense with gray matter
Progressive involution	Germinal matrix (G) on T2-weighted images	G1	Matrix seen in posterior horn, at caudothalamic notch (CTN) and anterior horns of lateral ventricles
		G2	Matrix evident at CTN and anterior horns only
		G3	Matrix at anterior horns alone
		G4	No matrix evident
	Bands of migrating glial cells (B) on T2-weighted images	B1	Broad band with additional narrower bands
		B2	Broad band alone
		B3	Narrow band alone
		B4	No bands seen