PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - F. Arrigoni AU - C. Parazzini AU - A. Righini AU - C. Doneda AU - L.A. Ramenghi AU - G. Lista AU - F. Triulzi TI - Deep Medullary Vein Involvement in Neonates with Brain Damage: An MR Imaging Study AID - 10.3174/ajnr.A2687 DP - 2011 Dec 01 TA - American Journal of Neuroradiology PG - 2030--2036 VI - 32 IP - 11 4099 - http://www.ajnr.org/content/32/11/2030.short 4100 - http://www.ajnr.org/content/32/11/2030.full SO - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2011 Dec 01; 32 AB - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Different and specific MR imaging patterns of lesions involving WM are widely defined in neonatal encephalopathy. The aim of this study was to describe a novel MR imaging pattern of damage characterized by the abnormal prominence of DMVs in premature and full-term neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one (11 premature and 10 full-term) neonates with MR imaging evidence of linear radially oriented fan-shaped lesions in the periventricular WM and without dural venous thrombosis were enrolled in this retrospective study. A total of 37 MR imaging examinations were performed at ages ranging from day 0 to 24 months. RESULTS: According to the appearance of linear anomalies on T2-weighted images, we identified 2 main patterns: T2 hypointense lesions without WM cavitations and T2 hypointense lesions associated with linear cysts. The first pattern was found in 17 examinations performed between 0 and 44 days of life; the second pattern was found in another 14 examinations performed between 6 days and 4 months of life. Five examinations performed between 9 and 24 months of life showed a reduction in volume and hyperintense signal intensity of the periventricular WM on T2-weighted and FLAIR images. CONCLUSIONS: Subtle linear WM lesions with the same anatomic distribution of DMVs may be evident in premature and full-term neonates without signs of major venous thrombosis, both in the acute and subacute phases. Their appearance and evolution suggest that transient DMV engorgement/thrombosis may be responsible for WM damage that can lead to a PVL-like pattern. DMVdeep medullary veinFFEfast-field echoGMHgerminal matrix hemorrhagePHparenchymal hematomaPVLperiventricular leukomalaciaUSsonography