title: An Australian population study of factors associated with MRI patterns in cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns in a large population sample of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to examine associations between MRI patterns, and antenatal and perinatal variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were retrieved from the Victorian CP Register for 884 children (527 males, 357 females) born between 1999 and 2006. Postneonatal MRI was classified for 594 children. For 563 children (329 males, 234 females) for whom classification was to a single MRI pattern, the frequency of each variable was compared between patterns and with the population frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  White matter injury was the most common MRI pattern (45%), followed by grey matter injury (14%), normal imaging (13%), malformations (10%), focal vascular insults (9%), and miscellaneous patterns (7%). Parity, birth gestation, level of neonatal care, Apgar score, and time to established respiration varied between MRI patterns (p<0.01). Nulliparity was most strongly associated with focal vascular insults, whereas multiparity was associated only with malformations. Grey matter injury was not associated with birth in a tertiary unit, but was strongly associated with severe perinatal compromise. The frequency of neonatal seizures and of nursery admissions was lowest among children with malformations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As known risk factors for CP are differentially associated with specific MRI patterns, future exploration of causal pathways might be facilitated when performed in pathogenically defined groups.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Charuta D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Dagia
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ditchfield
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Carlin
authors.forename: Elaine M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.forename: Dinah S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reddihough
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology*; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010298:Parity; D012307:Risk Factors; D014739:Victoria