CYSTIC PERIVENTRICULAR LEUKOMALACIA AND TYPE OF CEREBRAL-PALSY IN PRETERM INFANTS

A case series design was used to identify cases of cystic periventricu lar leukomalacia (N = 31) identified by neurosonography at one regiona l tertiary Intensive care nursery. Patients were preterm infants born at less than or equal to 32 weeks of gestation who had cysts involving predominantly the middle-posterior or posterior periventricular regio ns. Neurodevelopmental evaluations were made for 26 (96%) of 27 surviv ors. All infants assessed had cerebral palsy (i.e., 54% quadriplegia, 42% diplegia, and 4% hemiplegia). Most cognitive delays and all sensor y impairments occurred in children with quadriplegia. Periventricular cysts were most extensive on parasagittal, anteroposterior views. The parasagittal, anteroposterior extent of periventricular cysts was most accurate in predicting the type and severity of motor and cognitive d isabilities. Quadriplegia was associated with larger and more extensiv e cysts.