[Early clinical presentations and MRI characteristics in newborns with cerebral infarction].
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to characterize the clinical presentations and magnetic resonance imaging including conventional MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in newborns with cerebral infarction.


METHODS
Clinical records of 16 newborn infants with cerebral infarction were reviewed. All cases underwent DWI examination in addition to conventional MRI examination [T1-weighted (T1W) and T2-weighted (T2W)]within 5 days after birth. Five patients received the second MRI examination at the age of 11 to 18 days.


RESULTS
Eight patients had antenatal risk factors, 9 had intranatal risk factors, and no postnatal risk factors were found. Seizures as the first symptom were noted in 11 neonates, with a short duration and a low frequency. The first imaging examination (within 5 days) showed a slight hypointensity on T1W, a slight hyperintensity on T2W and significantly increased signal intensity with a clear boundary on DWI in the lesions. In the MRI re-examination, more obvious hypointensity on T1W and hyperintensity on T2W were noted, while hypointensity was shown on DWI in the lesions compared with the first imaging results.


CONCLUSIONS
Seizures characterized by short duration and low frequency usually may be the first symptom in newborns with cerebral infarction. A hyperintensity on DWI was shown in the lesions at the early stage of neonatal cerebral infarction. A hypointensity on T1W and a hyperintensity on T2W were demonstrated in the lesions with increasing disease duration.
Huang
Wan-Jie
WJ
Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
Xue
Xin-Dong
XD
Guo
Jing
J
Yao
Li
L
Fu
Jian-Hua
JH
Qi
Yong-Jun
YJ
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed