title: Cerebral ultrasound findings in infants exposed to crack cocaine during gestation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prenatal exposure to cocaine has been associated with a wide spectrum of structural abnormalities in infant brains. The growing use of crack, a smokable and extremely addictive form of cocaine, could exacerbate the situation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency, type and severity of cerebral lesions detected by transfontanellar US in newborns exposed to crack during gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study, involving a review of the medical records of children who were born to crack-using women and who were subjected to transfontanellar US imaging during their first days of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transfontanellar US revealed abnormalities in 45/129 newborns examined (34.9%). The changes detected were subependymal cysts in 24 infants (18.6%), lenticulostriate vasculopathy in 18 infants (14%), subependymal hemorrhage in 9 infants (7%), and choroid plexus cysts in 9 infants (7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All of the abnormalities found by US examination were discrete and likely without clinical significance for the babies. However, prospective studies with a long period of tracking are needed to determine whether there are later consequences on the neurodevelopment of children with prenatal exposure to crack.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital da Crianҫa Conceiҫão, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lucca
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baldisserotto
mesh_terms: D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine