Persistent pulmonary hypertension in neonates with perinatal asphyxia and therapeutic hypothermia: a frequent and perilous combination.

Objectives: (1) To investigate whether neonates with perinatal asphyxia and therapeutic hypothermia more often developed PPHN compared to a control group with perinatal asphyxia not treated with hypothermia; (2) To identify risk factors for severe PPHN during hypothermia and evaluate short-term outcome.

Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included (near-)term neonates with perinatal asphyxia admitted between 2004 and 2016. Neonates with perinatal asphyxia and hypothermia were compared to a historical control group without hypothermia.

The degree of prematurity affects functional brain activity in preterm born children at school-age: An EEG study.

Prematurely born children are at higher risk for long-term adverse motor and cognitive outcomes. The aim of this paper was to compare quantitative measures derived from electroencephalography (EEG) between extremely (EP) and very prematurely (VP) born children at 9-10 years of age. Fifty-five children born <32 weeks' of gestation underwent EEG at 9-10 years of age and were assessed for motor development and cognitive outcome.

Prognostic value of gradient echo T2* sequences for brain MR imaging in preterm infants.

Background: Gradient echo T2*-W sequences are more sensitive than T2-W spin-echo sequences for detecting hemorrhages in the brain.

Objective: The aim of this study is to correlate presence of hemosiderin deposits in the brain of very preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks) detected by T2*-W gradient echo MRI to white matter injury and neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years.

Materials And Methods: In 101 preterm infants, presence and location of hemosiderin were assessed on T2*-W gradient echo MRI performed around term-equivalent age (range: 40-60 weeks).

Small cerebellar hemorrhage in preterm infants: perinatal and postnatal factors and outcome.

The objective of the study is to determine perinatal and postnatal factors that may affect the occurrence of small cerebellar hemorrhage (CBH) and to evaluate the effect of small CBH on neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm infants. This prospective study in an unselected cohort of very preterm infants was approved by the medical ethics committee, and informed parental consent was obtained. Presence of small CBH (<4 mm) was assessed with magnetic resonance imaging around term equivalent age in 108 preterm infants (<32 weeks gestation).

Tractography of white-matter tracts in very preterm infants: a 2-year follow-up study.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether tractography of white-matter tracts can independently predict neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm infants.

Method: Out of 84 very preterm infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, 64 (41 males, 23 females; median gestational age 29.1 weeks [range 25.

Clinical implications of MR imaging findings in the white matter in very preterm infants: a 2-year follow-up study.

Purpose: To explore the association between diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI), punctate white matter (WM) lesions, and ventricular dilatation around term-equivalent age (TEA) and at clinical follow-up at 2 years in very preterm infants and the effect on neurodevelopment.

Materials And Methods: Ethical approval for this prospective study was given by the institutional review board, and informed parental consent was obtained. An unselected cohort of 110 preterm infants (gestational age, < 32 weeks) was imaged around or after TEA.

Ultrasound detection of white matter injury in very preterm neonates: practical implications.

Aim: Diffuse white matter injury is not well detected by cranial ultrasonography (CUS). The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to assess in very preterm neonates the predictive values of individual CUS abnormalities for white matter injury on MRI and neurological outcome; (2) to develop a strategy optimizing CUS detection of white matter injury.

Method: Very preterm neonates (n=67; 44 males, 23 females) underwent serial CUS and single MRI.

Ultrasound detection of posterior fossa abnormalities in full-term neonates.

Routine cranial ultrasonography, using the anterior fontanelle as acoustic window enables visualization of the supratentorial brain structures in neonates and young infants. The mastoid fontanelle enables a better view of the infratentorial structures, especially cerebellar hemorrhage in preterm infants. Reports on the usefulness and reliability of cranial ultrasonography using the mastoid fontanelle approach for the detection of posterior fossa abnormalities, focusing only on full-term neonates are limited.

Tractography of developing white matter of the internal capsule and corpus callosum in very preterm infants.

Objectives: To investigate in preterm infants associations between Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) parameters of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and corpus callosum (CC) and age, white matter (WM) injury and clinical factors.

Methods: In 84 preterm infants DTI was performed between 40-62 weeks postmenstrual age on 3 T MR. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and fibre lengths through the PLIC and the genu and splenium were determined.

Is sequential cranial ultrasound reliable for detection of white matter injury in very preterm infants?

Introduction: Cranial ultrasound (cUS) may not be reliable for detection of diffuse white matter (WM) injury. Our aim was to assess in very preterm infants the reliability of a classification system for WM injury on sequential cUS throughout the neonatal period, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as reference standard.

Methods: In 110 very preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks), serial cUS during admission (median 8, range 4-22) and again around term equivalent age (TEA) and a single MRI around TEA were performed.

Surgery for large vestibular schwannoma: residual tumor and outcome.

Objective: To evaluate clinical outcome with regard to the amount of residual tumor after surgery for large vestibular schwannoma.

Patients: Between January 2000 and December 2005, 51 large vestibular schwannoma tumors with extrameatal diameter of 2.6 cm or greater (mean, 32 mm; median, 30 mm; range, 26-50 mm) were operated using the translabyrinthine approach.

Brain imaging findings in very preterm infants throughout the neonatal period: part I. Incidences and evolution of lesions, comparison between ultrasound and MRI.

This study describes the incidence and evolution of brain imaging findings in very preterm infants (GA<32 weeks), assessed with sequential cranial ultrasound (cUS) throughout the neonatal period and MRI around term age. The accuracy of both tools is compared for findings obtained around term. Periventricular echodensities and intraventricular haemorrhage were the most frequent cUS findings during admission.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in newborn infants: practical aspects.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is becoming more widely available and increasingly important for imaging the neonatal brain. In newborn infants it poses challenges regarding patient preparation, safety, optimal timing, and sequence optimization. These issues are addressed in this paper and indications for performing neonatal Magnetic Resonance Imaging are presented.

Brain imaging findings in very preterm infants throughout the neonatal period: part II. Relation with perinatal clinical data.

This study describes the relation between frequent and clinically relevant brain imaging findings in very preterm infants (GA<32 weeks), assessed with sequential cranial ultrasonography throughout the neonatal period and MRI around term age, and several potential perinatal risk factors. For ultrasound findings during admission the following independent risk factors were identified: male gender for periventricular echodensities and intraventricular haemorrhage, postnatal corticosteroid treatment for cystic white matter lesions, and lower gestational age for post-haemorrhagic ventricular dilatation. For MRI findings around term age, including punctate white matter lesions, ventricular dilatation, decreased cortical complexity, and diffuse and excessive high signal intensity, no independent risk factors were found.

Volumetrical measurements in vestibular schwannoma, the influence of slice thickness and patient's repositioning.

Objective: Conservative treatment in vestibular schwannomas is mainly dependent on optimal tumor size determination. The first objective of this study was to establish interobserver and intraobserver variability and the accuracy and reproducibility of three different measurement methods: one bidimensional and two volumetrical. The second objective was to evaluate the influence of the use of different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) slice thickness and the influence of patient's repositioning on the measurements' outcome.

The value of MR angiography techniques in the detection of head and neck paragangliomas.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare three-dimensional phase-contrast angiography (3D PCA), 2D time-of-flight (2D TOF), and 3D TOF magnetic resonance (MR) angiography and a proton density weighted technique in terms of their ability to detect head and neck paragangliomas.

Materials And Methods: 14 patients with 29 paragangliomas were examined at 1.5 T.

Chronic sinusitis in severe asthma is related to sputum eosinophilia.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis and asthma are conditions that frequently coexist, particularly in severe asthma. The precise mechanism of the relationship between upper and lower airway inflammation is still a matter of debate. We hypothesized that the extent of inflammation in the nasal mucosa is related to lung function and inflammation in the bronchial mucosa in patients with severe asthma.