[Presentation of a handicap, impairment and disability: the example of cerebral palsy]

This article, co-authored by a functional therapist and a neuroradiologist, proposes a definition as well as a general overview of epidemiological, legal and clinical concerns related to the handicap followed by a more in-depth study of subjects with cerebral palsy or other brain motor handicap. This patient population contains an increasing number of adults. The effects of aging and the increased incidence of letal malignancies in this population will be reviewed.The role of imaging in the management of these patients, its key features and related pitfalls are discussed. Finally, the role of MR imaging of the brain in patients with cerebral palsy is discussed with emphasis on the relation between lesion type and impairment, imaging characteristics and injury mechanism.