Cerebral microbleeds after use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children.

Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) on gradient-recalled echo (GRE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are rarely seen in children, yet have been described following vascular procedures in adults. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been associated with vascular injury and neurological events in children, but there have been no reports to date of GRE MRI findings in children treated with ECMO. We reviewed MRI scans for all vascular neurology consultations in children treated with ECMO at an academic medical center over a 5-year period.