MR Patterns of Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage After Prenatal, Perinatal or Postnatal Asphyxia[*]

The relationship between MR patterns of brain damage and type or timing of perinatal hypoxia-ischemia was studied. MR images of 104 children with evidence of bilateral posthypoxic-ischemic brain damage and neonatal records were reviewed. Three different MR patterns were found. Periventricular leukomalacia occurred in 73 children, in 82 % after a history of subacute or chronic hypoxia-ischemia, in 71 % after preterm birth. Predominant lesions of basal ganglia and thalamus occurred in 21 children, in 95 % preceded by acute profound asphyxia, in 85 % after term birth. Multicystic encephalopathy occurred in 10 infants, in 70 % preceded by mild signs of hypoxia-ischemia, followed by an unexpectedly severe encephalopathy, in 60 % after term birth. Statistical analysis showed that the patterns of injury were primarily related to the type of hypoxia-ischemia. We conclude that the type of hypoxia-ischemia, rather than the postconceptional age at occurrence determines the pattern of brain injury.

Key words

Children - MR - Brain - Central nervous system - Asphyxia

1 Parts of this study have been presented at the “European Paediatric Neurology Society”, October 1997, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

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1 Parts of this study have been presented at the “European Paediatric Neurology Society”, October 1997, Maastricht, The Netherlands.