CAN CEREBRAL MRI AT AGE 1 YEAR PREDICT MOTOR AND INTELLECTUAL OUTCOMES IN VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT CHILDREN

This follow-up study reports on cerebral MRI findings in 20 very-low-b irthweight (VLBW) infants without disabilities at age 1 year in relati on to motor, intellectual, and perceptual function at age 6 years. MRI findings, anthropometrics, and Bayley Scales of Infant Development sc ores at age 1 year as predictors of psychomotor status at age 6 years are also evaluated and compared. Outcome parameters were the Peabody D evelopmental Motor Scales and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. The results show that infants with myelin hyperinten sities including the centrum semiovale or with occipital hyperintensit ies with associated ventricular dilatation at age 1 scored lower on th e Peabody Gross Motor Locomotion Scale at age 6 than infants with norm al myelination or with isolated occipital hyperintensities. This may i ndicate damage to motor fibers caused by perinatal periventricular leu komalacia. No relation was found between abnormal MRI findings at age 1 and later fine motor, intellectual, and perceptual function. Compari ng different age 1-year predictors, an abnormality score defined by MR I was used as an independent predictor of gross motor locomotion funct ion at age 6 years. However, the Bayley Mental Development Index score s and weight at age 1 were more important predictors of later motor an d intellectual outcome, respectively, than MRI findings. It is recomme nded that cerebral MRI should not be used routinely to examine VLBW in fants without disabilities at 1 year of age.