The evolution of cerebral hemispheric lesions due to pre- or perinatal asphyxia (clinical and neuroradiological...

The clinical, neurophysiological and neuroradiological data of 10 babies who, at the age of three months showed a severe leucomalacia usually combined with cortical atrophy, are presented. All had shown signs of intrauterine asphyxia and were severely hypotonic and suffered from seizures in the neonatal period. At the age of 3 months, all patients were hypo- or hypertonic and had infantile spasms. Computed tomography (CT) in the neonatal period showed unspecific hypodensities and at the age of 3 months the complete CT picture of leucomalacia. Thereafter, CT remained unchanged. An angiographic examination in two cases showed a very marked rarefication of the leptomeningeal vessels and circulatory delay in the medial cerebral artery. The risk factors leading to this clinical and neuroradiological picture are discussed.