Intracranial ultrasound diagnosis of neonatal periventricular leukomalacia

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is characterized by focal areas of white matter necrosis adjacent to the external angles of the lateral ventricles. The diagnosis of PVL has hitherto been limited to autopsy findings. The authors discuss pertinent literature and report in vivo diagnosis of nonhemorrhagic PVL by real-time intracranial ultrasonography. They recommend further study of ultrasound as a diagnostic method for evaluating infants at risk for PVL.