Quantitative evaluation of thalami and basal ganglia in infants with periventricular leukomalacia

Quantitative analyses of cross-sectional areas of the thalami, caudate nucl ei, and lentiform nuclei were performed in 29 preterm infants (16 males, 13 females; mean age 29.8 weeks, age range 27 to 24 weeks,) with periventricu lar leukomalacia (PVL), MRI was carried out in the infants between 9 and 18 months of corrected age and in 16 control infants. Bilateral thalami, caud ate nuclei, lentiform nuclei, cerebral hemispheres, and cerebellum were mea sured by computer. Ratios of the areas of the thalami (Th), caudate nuclei (Ga), lentiform nuclei (Le), and cerebral hemispheres (CH) to that of the c erebellum (Ce) were calculated in each infant. The ratio of Th:Ce was signi ficantly smaller in infants with moderate and severe PVL than in the contro l group bilaterally. Abnormal. intensity areas were not observed in the tha lami in any infants with PVL, CR:Ce was also smaller in infants with severe PVL than in the control group. No significant difference was observed betw een the groups in ratios Le:Ce or Ca:Ce. Results of our study suggest that the volume of the thalami is reduced and that thalamic involvement is prese nt in infants with white matter lesions who have moderate to severe PVL.