White-matter injury is associated with impaired gaze in premature infants.

Periventricular leukomalacia is a risk factor for visual impairment in children born prematurely. The impact of diffuse white-matter injury, as detected on magnetic resonance imaging, on early visual function is unknown. We developed two 5-point visual-gaze scores to analyze the association between this clinical assessment and white-matter injury in 93 premature neonates <34 weeks of gestational age at birth.

Comparing the diagnosis of white matter injury in premature newborns with serial MR imaging and transfontanel ultrasonography findings.

Background And Purpose: The accurate identification of white matter injury in premature neonates is important for counseling parents and for targeting these high risk neonates for appropriate rehabilitation services. The objective of this study was to compare the diagnosis of white matter injury detected by serial MR imaging and ultrasonography of a contemporary cohort of premature neonates.

Methods: Each of the 32 consecutively enrolled neonates was studied with MR imaging at a median postconceptional age of 31.

Serial quantitative diffusion tensor MRI of the premature brain: development in newborns with and without injury.

Purpose: To determine the change over time of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and relative anisotropy of cerebral water in a cohort of premature newborns serially studied near birth and again near term.

Materials And Methods: Newborns were classified as normal (N = 11), minimal white matter injury (N = 7), or moderate white matter injury (N = 5).

Results: ADC decreased significantly with age in all brain regions in newborns classified as normal and those with minimal white matter injury.