Early white matter changes on brain magnetic resonance imaging in a newborn affected by merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy

In 1996 we reported sequential magnetic resonance imaging study in an infan t with merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy with normal brain ma gnetic resonance imaging at 3 weeks and white matter changes by 6 months. W e now report an infant with merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy with a mild degree of white matter changes already present on brain magnet ic resonance imaging at 5 days of age. The difference may be due to a diffe rence in the T2 sequences used. The images in this present case were obtain ed with a fast spin echo sequence (echo time: 210 ms). The increased T2 wei ghted may be responsible for a better detection of the white matter changes at an early stage, when they can be missed on conventional, less weighting T2 sequences. These results suggest that, by using appropriate sequences, mild white matter changes may be detectable on brain magnetic resonance ima ging in the first days of life in infants with merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.