Clinical and cUS and MRI findings in different groups of metabolic disorders

DiagnosisClinical findingsCharacteristic cUS findingsFindings added by MRI
Poor responsivenessHypotoniaEarly seizuresPoor feeding
Oxidative phosphorylation disorders (n = 21; MRI, n = 12)18 (86%)14 (67%)10 (48%)15 (71%)VD (n = 11; 52%)Delayed myelination (n = 3, 25%)
GLCs; abnormal WM (n = 7; 33%)Abnormal brainstem (n = 2, 17%)
LSV; widened ECS/IHF (n = 5, 24%)Loss of grey/WM differentiation; large subarachnoid space; intraventricular haemorrhage; abnormal SI in WM; decreased WM volume; abnormal SI in BGT; abnormal hippocampus; abnormal SI in choroid plexus (n = 1, 8%)
Abnormal cortical folding; small cerebellum; abnormal BGT (n = 4, 19%)
Thin corpus callosum (n = 3, 14%)
Peroxisomal biogenesis disorders (n = 13; MRI, n = 9)12 (92%)12 (92%)10 (77%)8 (62%)GLCs; VD (n = 10, 77%)Abnormal/delayed myelination (n = 6, 67%)
Abnormal cortical folding; LSV (n = 8, 62%)Abnormal SI in WM (n = 3, 33%)
Abnormal BGT (n = 4, 31%)Migrational disorder; decreased WM volume (n = 1, 11%)
Absent hin corpus callosum; patent CSP (n = 3, 23%)
Amino acid metabolism and urea cycle disorders (n = 14; MRI, n = 11)11 (79%)14 (100%)13 (93%)13 (93%)Abnormal cortical folding (n = 9, 64%)Delayed myelination (n = 5, 45%)
Abnormal WM (n = 8, 57%)Cortical highlighting (n = 3, 27%)
Abnormal corpus callosum (n = 7, 50%)Punctate WM haemorrhage; abnormal brainstem (n = 2, 18%)
Unusually shaped lateral ventricles (n = 5, 36%)Abnormal SI in cerebellum; subdural haemorrhage (n = 1, 9%)
Abnormal BGT (n = 4, 29%)
Small cerebellum; widened ECS/IHF (n = 2, 14%)
Organic acid disorders (n = 4; MRI, n = 2)4 (100%)3 (75%)1 (25%)2 (50%)Echogenic periventricular WM (n = 2, 50%)Delayed myelination; abnormal SI in globus pallidus (n = 1, 50%)
Other disorders (n = 3; MRI, n = 1)3 (100%)1 (33%)0 (0%)0 (0%)Lateral VD (n = 2, 67%)None
  • Note:—Clinical findings are given in number of infants (percentage in group). n indicates number of examinations; VD, ventricular dilatation; GLC, germinolytic cyst; WM, white matter; LSV, lenticulostriate vasculopathy; ECS, extracerebral space; IHF, interhemispheric fissure; BGT, basal ganglia and thalami; SI, signal intensity; CSP, cavum septum pellucidum.