Isolated periventricular pseudocysts do not affect white matter microstructure development in neonatal stage: A...

Periventricular pseudocysts (PVPCs) are cystic cavities originating from the germinal matrix. The effects of PVPCs on the development of white matter (WM) in neonates remain unclear. This study aimed to characterise WM microstructural variations in neonates with PVPCs with and without additional abnormities on MRI.

Neonates with PVPCs and controls with no MRI abnormalities were retrospectively enrolled. Test subjects were divided into groups 1 (isolated PVPCs) and 2 (PVPCs with additional MRI abnormalities). The PVPC MRI features collected included lateralisation, locularity, anatomic location, and the maximum anteroposterior diameter. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) were compared between the PVPC and control groups using tract-based spatial statistics.

Thirty-eight neonates with PVPCs and 60 controls were enrolled. Groups 1 and 2 contained 15 and 23 subjects, respectively. The additional MRI findings in group 2 included intracranial haemorrhage, punctate WM lesions, hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, and acute cerebral infarction. No significant differences were found in PVPC MRI features between the 2 test groups. Compared to controls, no significant changes in DTI metrics were observed in group 1 neonates; whereas extensive WM regions with decreased FA, increased RD, and unchanged/increased AD were found in group 2.

Isolated PVPCs are not independently correlated with WM microstructural variations in neonates. This result provides further evidence for supporting the benign outcome of fetuses with isolated PVPCs.