[18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography findings in protein infants with severe periventricular leukomalacia and hypsarrhythmia.

UNLABELLED: Two preterm infants with extensive periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) were examined by [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) at the corrected ages of 18 and 34 days. They showed similar clinical courses including oculoclonic seizure, hypsarrhythmia and severe mental retardation, in addition, to spastic quadriplegia. FDG-PET study of these two infants with severe PVL disclosed poorly developed metabolic activity in the primary sensorimotor cortex, while the MRI images displayed only periventricular white matter lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

Positron emission tomography may disclose cortical involvement in infants with severe periventricular leukomalacia.