Magnetic resonance imaging in children with neonatal asphyxia: correlation with developmental sequelae

Magnetic resonance (MR) findings and developmental sequelae were examined in 60 patients with neonatal asphyxia. Nine patients with marked destruction of the cerebrum had the severest motor and mental disability. Six had lesions of the periventricular white matter and thalamus. Seven had border zone infarction with lesions of the white matter and thalamus. Nine had lesions of the middle-lateral part of the thalamus, putamen and peri-Rolandic area. Five with lesions of the thalamus, putamen and cerebral white matter had the severest motor and mental disability. Twenty with lesions of the thalamus and/or putamen had athetosis or clumsiness. Four with lesions of the opercular region, white matter and thalamus had feeding difficulty. Some correlation between MR findings and developmental sequelae was recognized.