Cranial computed tomography scans of premature babies predict their eventual learning disabilities.
It remains difficult to predict, early enough to intervene effectively, the risk of the development of learning disabilities among extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (birth weights less than 1,000 g). We prospectively studied the relationship between dilatations of lateral ventricles of the cranial computed tomography (CT) scan taken at the postconceptional age of 40 weeks and learning disabilities in their school age. Using a computer digitizer, we measured the areas of ventricles on cranial CT scans. The mean area of lateral ventricles of the learning disabilities-suspected group was significantly larger than that of the control group (392.9 and 277.4 mm2, respectively; P < .01). There were no significant differences between the two groups in gestation, birth weight, physical measurements, and developmental quotients at early school age. The dilatation of the lateral ventricles assessed by cranial CT at the corrected term may be one of the first predictors of learning disabilities recognizable at early school age.
Ishida
A
A
Department of Pediatrics, Akita University School of Medicine, Japan.
Nakajima
W
W
Arai
H
H
Takahashi
Y
Y
Iijima
R
R
Sawaishi
Y
Y
Goto
R
R
Takada
G
G
D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014695:Cerebral Ventriculography; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome