[Multicystic encephalomalacia: MR imaging findings and clinical correlation].
OBJECTIVE
To review the MR imaging findings of multicystic encephalomalacia and to investigate the correlation between MR imaging and clinical findings.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients who presented with convulsion, mental-motor retardation and microcephaly and had evidence of multicystic encephalomalacia on MR images were included in this study. MR imaging patterns and clinical findings were reviewed. Consequently, we correlated MR imaging findings and clinical outcome.


RESULTS
All patients had cortical thinning, white matter destruction, atrophy and gliosis. Tetraplegia was seen in 17 out of 19 patients with mixed type cerebral palsy in two patients with diffuse or symmetric involvement on MR imaging. Both of the patients with mixed type cerebral palsy had basal ganglia involvement on MR imaging. Hemiplegia was seen in two patients with asymmetric involvement on MR imaging. Microcephaly was seen in 17 patients with diffuse or symmetrical, and in one patient with asymmetrical, involvement. Microcephaly and tetraplegia was seen in all patients with cerebellar and basal ganglion involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Microcephaly and spastic tetraplegia were developed mostly in patients with diffuse involvement, whereas hemiplegia was seen in patients with asymmetric involvement. The clinical outcome was worse in patients with cerebellar and brainstem involvement. Therefore, we supposed that the symmetry of lesions and cerebellar or brainstem involvement might be used as a prognostic indicator.
Coşkun
Abdulhakim
A
Erciyes Universitesi Tip Fakültesi, Radyoloji Anabilim Dali, Kayseri, Turkey.
Mavili
Ertuğrul
E
Kumandaş
Sefer
S
Karahan
Okkeş Ibrahim
OI
Imamoğlu
Hakan
H
Gümüş
Hakan
H
D004678:Encephalomalacia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology