[Characteristics of computerized tomography of the brain in congenital hemiparesis]

Congenital hemiparesis is defined as an unilateral disorder of movement and posture, with clinical signs of spasticity with flexor hypertonicity, increased tendon reflexes and characteristic posturing. We have examined a group of 26 children with congenital hemiparesis (14 boys and 12 girls) with mean age of 3.5 years (range 6 months to 9 years). 24 had been born at term (% weeks gestation) and 2 were preterm (% completed weeks gestation). From the neuroimaging point of view, congenital hemiparesis form a rather heterogeneous group. CT scans revealed: porencephalic cyst (6), unilateral ventricular enlargement (2), cortical atrophy with unilateral ventricular enlargement (1), hypodense zones resulting from previous hemathermous (4), normal CT scans (6), and 7 cases have not had CT scans for technical reasons (war conditions). Congenital hemiparesis mainly affects term children with prenatal origin in majority of cases. Vascular occlusions (in utero stroke) originating from various pathophysiological factors, maternal or fetal, may result in congenital hemiparesis. Normal CT findings should be revised by using MRI, which provides direct evidence of white matter lesions.