[Periventricular leukomalacia in premature infants: prognostic role of ultrasonography and MRI].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of cranial US and MRI to establish the neurological prognosis of premature infants with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL).


METHODS
Follow-up results of cranial US and early MRI evaluation (before 25 weeks*) of 28 premature infants were retrospectively reviewed and compared to the neurological outcome at 18 months* (*corrected age).


RESULTS
Follow-up by cranial US was more sensitive (8/28) than early MRI to detect cystic PVL lesions because of the transient nature of these cysts. This has prognostic implications since all patients (8/8) with cystic PVL lesions had neurological sequelae. MRI was useful, as a complement to cranial US, for the evaluation of non-cystic PVL lesions. Indeed, patients with evidence of hemorrhage or paucity of white matter at MRI had a higher risk of neurological sequelae (9/11) than infants with echogenic periventricular white matter at US without evidence of white matter abnormality at MRI (p < 0.013).


CONCLUSIONS
MRI was useful, as a complement to cranial US, to evaluate the prognosis of infants with non-cystic PVL lesions.
Murgo
S
S
Service d'Imagerie médicale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Hôpital Erasme, Belgique.
Avni
E F
EF
David
P
P
Muller
M F
MF
Golzarian
J
J
Balériaux
D
D
Struyven
J
J
D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
Leucomalacie périventriculaire du prématuré: rôle pronostique de l'échographie et de l'IRM.